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THE SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION OF 

1838. 



BY IDA M. STREET. 



When we are disgusted with frauds in the execution of 
government offices, as exposed in the recent investigation 
in the post office department, it is somewhat consolatory to 
our outraged feelings to make a comparison with the frauds 
of previous years and their investigation. We like to feel 
that we have not grown worse even if we cannot congratulate 
ourselves on much improvement. Although a treaty of 
nearly seventy years ago with a now almost extinct tribe of 
Indians may not excite much interest, the connection with it 
of a man once prominent in our politics may arouse curiosity. 
For that reason and because I have a little new material to 
add from my grandfather's letters, I have chosen for the 
present article the frauds practiced by the first commission 
appointed to carry out the provisions of the Winnebago 
treaty of 1837. 

At the time this treaty was made, Joseph Montfort Street, 
who from November, 1827 to 1836, had been agent for the 
Winnebagoes at Prairie du Chien, was agent for the Sacs 
and Foxes in Iowa. So that his connection with the com- 
plaint against the commission was purely accidental. The 
true instigator of the investigation was Major Ethan Allen 
Hitchcock, then disbursing agent for the War Department, 
at St. Louis. I have gathered the facts for this article from 
letters from Major Hitchcock to J. M. Street, and also to the 
War Department at Washington; from letters from Thos. 
Street to his father; and from the account of the investiga- 
tion as given in public documents for 1838 to 1839. 

November 1, 1837, a delegation of Winnebago Indians 
at Washington signed a treaty with the government in which 
they sold to the United States all their lands east of the 
Mississippi river. They also agreed not to settle on their 

115 



L16 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

lands just west of the Mississippi, but to use them only for 
hunting and to remove in eight months to the portion of the 
"neutral ground" which was conveyed to them in the treaty 
of 1832, until they could procure a permanent settlement; 
and in another clause, the place of the settlement was indi- 
cated by the provision for an exploring party to survey the 
lands southwest of the Missouri river. 

For this land, in addition to an annuity, the govern- 
ment promised to pay two hundred thousand dollars to trad- 
ers and others mentioned in the treaty to whom the Indians 
were indebted. "To pay, under the direction of the President 
to the relatives and friends of said Indians, having not less 
than one-quarter Winnebago blood, $100,000".. 

Another $90,000 of this $1,100,000 paid for the land was 
to be paid in presents and in provision for a model farm at 
the new home of the Indians. 

Half the interest of the remaining $700,000 was to be 
applied by the President for twenty-two years to education, 
the rest of the interest to be paid in money and provisions 
each year. 

July 21, 1838, J. K. Poinsett, Secretary of War, notified 
Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania that he had been appointed 
a commissioner to examine the claims of half-breed relatives 
of the Winnebago Indians, as provided by the treaty of 
November 1, 1837. He was allowed eight dollars for every 
twenty miles traveled from his home to Prairie du Chien by 
the most direct route, and eight dollars a day for every day 
spent in the execution of his duties. The commission was 
requested to meet August 20, at Prairie du Chien. August 
1, James Murray of Maryland was appointed as co-commis- 
sioner. 

The payment of the trader's claims was to be by order 
upon the War Department, but the money for the half-breeds 
was to be sent to Major E. A. Hitchcock, at St. Louis, who 
was to pay that due both the Sioux and the Winnebagoes, 
under the direction of the commissioner. 



gpUr 






SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 117 

There were several reasons why this treaty was not plea- 
sing to the Indians. They were to make a double move in a 
few months; first to the land in Iowa, and then later on 
to the country southwest of the Missouri river, which 
was practically a desert, and which even white men with all 
their ingenuity have been fifty years in making habitable. 
The news of this dissatisfaction reached Washington in indi- 
rect ways and the Senate was not very prompt in ratifying 
the treaty. Yet it was finally done. 

An indication of the cause of dissatisfaction among some 
of the traders, is given by the Hon. Henry Merrell, a trader 
at Ft. Winnebago, who says in his personal recollections: 

The fraudulent treaty of November first, 1837, caused the Gov- 
ernment a vast deal of trouble and expense; and very naturally en- 
gendered the most embittered feelings and recollections on the 
part of the Winnebagoes. ... 

General Simon Cameron and General James Murray having been 
appointed Commissioners, in the summer of 1838, to divide and pay 
out to the creditors and half-breeds of the Winnebago Indians, ac- 
cording to the treaty with them, one hundred thousand dollars to 
the half-breeds, and *one hundred thousand dollars to the traders, 
t hey repaired to Prairie du Chien for that purpose. Having busi- 
ness with them, I went down and found traders and half-breeds as- 
sembled there from all parts of the country; from Green Bay, and 
from St. Louis to the Prairie. When I got there, I was told that the 
Commissioners were in doubt whether they could make the pay- 
ment to the traders under their instructions. I stayed there about 
two weeks. Still they gave out that they should have to go to 
Washington for new instructions. In the meantime, there was a 
lawyer by the name of Broadhead, who either came with the Com- 
missioners, or followed soon after (I was told he came on with 
them), who proposed buying half-breed claims, and it was notorious 
that Mr. Cameron was with him at his office most of the time. The 
half-breeds becoming uneasy, and thinking they should not get 
anything at this time, made up their minds that they had better sell 
than be on expense — it costing them one dollar a day while staying 
there — so, many, of them sold their claims at from three to four or 
five hundred dollars, as they could make a bargain. I made up my 
mind finally, from the best information I could get, that they would 
not pay any, but would take the papers and go on to Washington for 
new instructions. I could see or hear no reason why they could not 

*Two as shown by the treaty; the Commissioners speak of one hundred and 
fifty thousand. 



118 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

pay the half-breeds, so I concluded to go home as I had business 
pressing there. After I left, I was informed Governor Dodge went 
over to the Prairie, and advised the Commissioners to make pay- 
ment on the evidence they had, and they concluded to do so. 

The traders had had a meeting among themselves, and passed 
upon all claims;* but the Commissioners would not consent to be 
ruled by them. I left my papers with the Commissioners, request- 
ing a friend, as I supposed, to see to them, if anything was needed, 
and went home. In a few days the traders from that region and 
Green Bay, etc., came up swearing mad. They said the American 
Fur Company had been awarded most of the money; and other 
traders, whose accounts were equally well proved, and some much 
better, were put off with not to exceed five per cent, of their claims. 
Mr. Rouse said to me: "You have been rascally treated. Your 
claim was better proven than any there, and you are put off with 
less than five per cent.; and not only that, but you will find your 
particular friend has cut your throat." While I was there, it was 
the common talk that Cameron and Broadhead were in company; 
and it was said when Broadhead paid a half-breed for his claim, the 
money was in Middleton, Pennsylvania, bills, a bank in which Gen. 
Cameron was said to have been interested. 

The thing was so palpable, as I was informed, that Gen. Street 
started for St. Louis, and informed Maj. Hitchcock (I think it was) 
of the army, in whose hands the money was, to pay [to be paid] on the 
requisition of the Commissioners. So when they made their appear- 
ance, he refused to pay them any money, but went on to Washington 
and laid the case before the Department. He was justified, and the 
acts of the Commissioners were repudiated. Here was an officer 
of the army disobeying orders, and taking the responsibility of 
doing so, proving that there was one honest, straight-forward man 
ready to run the risk of a dismissal, in vindication of justice and 
exposition of rascality. 

It was said, whether true or not I cannot say, that Mr. Cameron 
declared on the boat going to St. Louis, that he had made sixty 
thousand dollars in the transaction; but when he got to St. Louis 
I think his ideas must have had a great fall. Next year a Commis- 
sioner, I was informed, was sent on, and adopted the other Com- 
missioners' report, and all had to submit. So, possibly, there was 
but one year's delay in the profits. There was not many but be- 
lieved the Fur Company had to bleed freely for getting the award. 
This was worse, I consider, than "Credit Mobilier!"| 

The report of the commissioners shows that Mr. Mer- 
rell's claim was $2,000, and that $100 was allowed him, and 
paid to Satterlee Clarke, Jr., attorney in fact. 

*See the report "f tlu> Commissioners, as quotod in this paper. 
^Wisconsin Historical Collections, Vol. VII, pp. 394-6. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 119 

Mr. Merrell's account is erroneous in one particular, 
when it says that Mr. Street went down to St. Louis to report 
the doings of the commission. What he did do was to bring 
up the money for the half-breeds, as a personal favor to 
Major Hitchcock, and when he found that the commissioners 
had gone, he wrote to the distributing agent telling what 
had been done. In a letter to Major Hitchcock about this 
matter, dated January 8, 1839, he says: "The information 
is, of course, from others, as I never saw the commissioners; 
and my duties with the Sacs and Foxes kept me away 
from this place during the whole time they were here". 

His office as agent for the Sacs and Foxes was at Rock 
Island; but as the quarters there were inadequate for his 
family, they remained at the Prairie, where he owned a good 
house. In the summer of 1838, he was on the Des Moines river 
at the site of the new agency, superintending the breaking of 
ground and the erection of buildings, to which he removed 
his family in the following spring. Both disease and famine 
were among the Sacs and Foxes that summer, as his corres- 
pondence with Major Hitchcock shows, and in October he- 
went to St. Louis to see about extra supplies. In his let- 
ter of March 12, 1839, to the Commissioner of Indian 
Affairs, Major Hitchcock states how he happened to send the 
money for the Winnebago half-breeds by Mr. Street: 

Gen. Street, who is so unworthily referred to by Mr. Murray, was 
in St. Louis when it was my wish to send the money to Prairie du 
Chien. I requested him to take charge of it, and convey it there. 
He was, however, unwilling to take the hazard of so heavy a charge 
in specie. We conversed upon the subject some time, alluding to 
the loss by theft of $15,000 in specie, only a few weeks before, at 
Prairie du Chien. After maturely considering the subject, I deter- 
mined to send the notes of the Bank of the State of Missouri. That 
bank was the authorized place of deposit for my public money. 
My funds were there in specie. That bank has never refused pay- 
ment in specie for her notes, since she went into operation. 

In order, however, to protect the half-breeds, I requested the 
cashier of the bank to furnish me with notes of one denomination, 
(20's) for the whole $100,000, explaining to him that I could not 
send the specie for the reason stated above. He accordingly fur- 



120 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

nished me with $100,000 in 20-dollar notes of the Bank of the State 
of Missouri, the specie for which was in the vault of the bank, sub- 
ject to the call of whoever might hold the notes. 

As upwards of $200,000 in specie had but a few weeks before 
been paid by the Indian Department on the Mississippi river, I nat- 
urally supposed that a large portion would fall into the hands of 
traders, who would gladly exchange it for the notes sent for the 
Winnebago half-breeds; and the following letters of instruction 
were given by me in reference to the payment of the Winnebago 
half-breeds: 

Under date of Oct. 1C, I addressed Dr. J. C. Reynolds: 

"Sir: I send by the hands of Gen. Street, Indian Agent, $100,000 
for payment to the Winnebago half-breeds, under the 4th article of 
the treaty of 1837. 

"This money will be paid to the particular individuals who shall 
be required by the United States commissioners (Messrs. Murray 
and Cameron) for the examination of claims under the treaty. You 
will please pay the exact amounts required (not exceeding the whole 
amount) to the particular individuals for whom required, taking 
such evidence as is necessary in the payment of annuities. 

"It is presumed as much specie can be procured, in exchange for 
notes, as will be necessary for satisfying the claims of those who 
may be unacquainted with the nature of paper money; for all others, 
bills of one denomination (20's) are furnished; and especial care 
will be taken, in all cases, to explain the value of the money, and 
that it is receivable in the land office." 

To Lieut. McKissack I wrote, under the same date, as follows: 

"I have sent, by the hands of Gen. Street, $100,000, to Dr. Rey- 
nolds, fcr payment to the Winnebago half-breeds. Should Dr. 
Reynolds have left Prairie du Chien, I request you to receive from 
Gen. Street the money and open the letter in his charge from this 
office, to the address of Dr. Reynolds, and execute the instructions 
therein contained." 

After thus sending the money to be paid at Prairie du Chien, I 
was astonished, on the 5th of November, to find Lieut. McKissack 
at St. Louis, with the whole amount. 

As Mr. Murray (or Mr. Cameron) lays much stress upon my 
expressing regrel to Lieut. McKissack that the money was not paid 
at Prairie du Chien, I must observe that I made the remark alluded 
to, not as regretting the non-payment of the drafts of the Commis- 
sioner, but I regretted that the half-breeds themselves had not been 
paid. All of my letters and reports on the subject of half-breed 
money will show to what my regret referred. 

it' I had desired the payment of the drafts, it was the expressed 

opini( I the commissioners that I not only had authority to make 

the payment, bu1 thai I was required to make it; and if it was really 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 121 

so, whether my agent paid the money at Prairie du Chien, or myself 
at St. Louis, was a matter of indifference. 

On the evening of the 5th of November, I called to pay my re- 
spects to the Commissioners, who had arrived at St. Louis the 
same day with the money, but in another steamboat. The subject 
of the mode of payment determined upon by the Commissioners was 
discussed more than I desired in a public reading-room; and I insist 
upon it that much argument was then and there wasted, to prove 
that the half-breeds were dispersed and could not be found by the 
paying agents of the Indian Department. 

In the evening of that day I prepared the report of the 6th of 
November. I had not, up to that time, heard of any particulars in 
relation to the proceedings of the Commissioners, except that the 
mode of payment determined by them set aside the principles which 
all my letters will show I deemed indispensable. Your letter of in- 
structions to me of the 20th of November (1838), approving my con- 
duct, will show that I was correct as to that principle. 

Under the impression that this departure from the principle of a 
direct payment to the half-breeds might be overlooked by the De- 
partment, unless there should be reason to fear that the half-breeds 
had beeu duped and cheated, I gave my opinion to the claimants 
that the drafts might ultimately be paid; and this fact makes a part 
of my letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs of the 6th of 
November. 

My letter of the 7th substantially repeats this; for, by requesting 
authority to require bonds from trustees, I virtually intimate my 
expectation of orders to pay the drafts. 

I have now to add a few words in explanation of my intercourse 
with Gen. Street, which has fallen under the severe censure of Mr. 
Murray. It gives me great pleasure to do an act of justice to a high- 
spirited, intelligent, and conscientious man, who has attained years 
and respectability, but neither honors nor fortune, in a life spent in 
the public service. 

It will be recollected that Gen. Street undertook to convey, 
and did convey, $100,000 to Prairie du Chien for the Government. 
This was an extra-official act; and by this voluntary act, for which 
he received no compensation, his passage in the steamship even not 
being paid, he saved to the Government not less than $300 or $400, 
which it would have cost had I employed a special agent to perform 
that service.* 

The commissioners in their report of December 15, 1839, 
to Mr. Crawford, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, state that 
they met August 29th, as low water prevented their earlier 
arrival at Prairie du Chien. Upon their arrival the)' had 



*Ex, Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 109. 



122 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

published a notice in the various papers at Dubuque, Iowa, 
Mineral Point and Green Bay, Wisconsin, and at Chicago 
and Detroit, requiring all persons having claims against the 
Winnebago Indians under the 4th article of the treaty of 
November, 1837, to present them. 

The words of the report are as follows: 

Very soon after its publication (the notice) we learned from 
many creditors of the Indians at Prairie du Chien that it would be 
impossible to furnish the evidence required by the Department, that 
it was then a matter of deliberation among them, whether it would 
be expedient or not to file their claims before us; and it was the 
last day limited by the notice that a large proportion of the claims 
were presented. 

It was soon apparent to us, that if we required proofs of the 
sale and delivery of particular articles to the Indians, nothing could 
be done, and that we should have to return home without effecting 
the objects for which we were sent to the country, and thus leave a 
large body of angry claimants among the Indians, who were already 
a good deal excited upon the subject of the treaty, and who could, 
as we were informed, influence them to any course they might think 
proper. 

It became necessary, therefore, to examine, if it would be pos- 
sible, by a liberal interpretation of the instructions, to effect the ob- 
ject of our mission and do substantial justice to the parties con- 
cerned.* 

The report goes on at length to explain that as the 
Indian traders — with one or two exceptions — did not or 
could not keep books, they could not follow out the instruc- 
tions of the Indian Commissioners at Washington. 

So they adopted a plan suggested by the creditorsf who 
held a meeting to adjust their claims among themselves. In 
accordance with the plan they took testimony of the capital 
employed by different traders, the amount usually sold on 
credit, and the proportion of credits generally remaining 
unpaid. They say: 

The examination satisfied us that about one-half of the sales 
were generally made on credit, of which from one-half to one-third 



*Ex. Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 151. 

fMr. Mrnvll stated tli.it they disregarded the suggestion of all the traders, This 
mii-t have been a meeting of t lie Am. Fur Co. trailers alone. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 123 

were never received; and we adopted this proportion, as coming 
nearer the truth than any other, and were strengthened in our 
opinion of its fairness from finding that it accorded with the views 
of the traders themselves, as expressed in their private adjudica- 
tions among themselves, before referred to. Particular cases, where 
the testimony warranted, were of course made exceptions to this 
general rule. 

The Commissioners further state that claims to the 
amount of $528,219.33 were put in; that they were consid- 
ered as proved to the amount of $160,886.30; and that a 
pro rata distribution of .93 17-100 on a dollar was made 
which was paid to the creditors in full of their demands. 
"Before payment, the register was submitted to the Indians 
in council, and approved by them in writing". 

This was the method used to determine the claims of the 
traders. It does not, however, seem to have been satisfactory 
to Mr. Merrell as shown in his account, nor to Mr. Thos. P. 
Street, a trader at the Prairie, who in a letter to Major 
Hitchcock, June 3, 1839, explains the method as he under- 
stood it. 

Dear Sir: 

Having seen a communication from D. M. Broadhead to the 
Secretary of War, dated 16th February last, in relation to the con- 
duct of the Commissioners sent out to settle the claims against the 
Winnebago Indians, under the treaty with said Indians of 1st No- 
vember, 1837, — in which my name is used disparagingly — I beg leave 
to trouble you with the following communication setting forth the 
reasons which induced Mr. B. to attack me. 

Shortly after the arrival of Mr. Broadhead and the Commissioners 
last summer, and a few days after the Commissioners had com- 
menced examining claims, Mr. Boilvin, who was an intimate friend 
of Broadhead's, came to me and asked me who I had employed to 
attend to my claim before the Commissioners. I replied that I 
should attend to it myself. He said, you had better have some one, 
a lawyer, to do it for you, and I think you had better employ Mr. B. ; 
he is well acquainted with the Commissioners, and will be of great 
servioe to you in getting your claim allowed. Accordingly I spoke 
to Mr. B. to attend to the claim. He told me he would and charge 
me a mere trifle for it. Mr. B. then went on to say to me that he 
had several claims confided to his management and should bring 
them before the Commissioners last or after all others had been 
examined, that the Commissioners would be governed in their ad- 



124 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

judications of claims by the report of J. W. Edmonds; that he had 
been furnished with a copy of such report, and was the only person 
in the place who had such information; that the counsel employed 
by other claimants were not in possession of the above information, 
and therefore would not know the kind of proof and other particulars 
necessary to sustain their claims; the object of which communica- 
tion was to prove to me that he was the only person possessed of 
the necessary information to prepare and sustain a claim before 
the Commissioners, and that I had not been badly advised nor acted 
unwisely in employing him. I then went to work and made out a 
claim against the Indians from my books and memorandums and 
attached an affidavit stating that the account was just and correct. 
This paper I filed with the Commissioners, and was promised that 
due notice would be given me of the time when the claims would 
be taken up. 

Some weeks afterwards Gen. C. and Mr. B. called me into the 
street before Taintor's Hotel and told me it would be necessary for 
me to present my books of original entry for the inspection of the 
Commissioners. This I at first declined doing, stating as a reason 
that I had tiled an account which was a transcript from the books. 
Gen. C. then said, "If you do not present your books we can allow 
you nothing " Upon which I promised to do so. And accordingly 
collected all the books and memorandums in which charges were 
kept against the Indians and took them up to the Commissioners' 
office one evening about 8 o'clock. I then asked Gen. C. to show 
me the accounts which I had filed. An anxious search through the 
office was made, but my account could not be found. I was directed 
to make oul a new one, which I did on a re-examination of my 
books and filed again, leaving the books in the charge of the Com- 
missioners; there they remained some four or five days. Before I 
left the office this evening Mr. B. came in and commenced a private 
conversation with me, in which he said, "Street, I know one reason 
why the Commissioners are opposed to your claim." I asked him 
to tell me the reason, that I might have an opportunity of explaining 
the matter to them. He said he could not then, but if I would call 
at his room in the hotel at 9 o'clock next morning I should know 
all. Agreeably to this appointment I called. Mr. B. took me aside 
and said to me in substance, as well as I can recall literally, "Street, 
keep quiet,, say nothing. Your claim is already allowed to the full 
amount." but, said he, "Say nothing to any one. It would be highly 
Improper for such a communication to be made public at this time." 
This was, I am certain, three and I believe four or five days before 
any publicity was given to the decision of the Commissioners. I 
then, and 1 believe afterward, asked Mr. B. if I could get my books, 
or whether the Commissioners had finished their examination of 
them. He said, "You will get them in time; the Commissioners 
have never even looked into them nor will they examine them at 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 125 

all." I then felt perfectly satisfied and waited till the decision had 
been made public. I found that Mr. B. was correct, my claim had 
been allowed to the full amount. Mr. B. and Gen. C. were very inti- 
mate and very frequently together, and I was induced from the man- 
ner and conversation of the former [to believe] that he was an 
especial favorite with the Commissioners and did religiously be- 
lieve that Mr. B.'s secret influence was sufficient to sustain my 
claim, although other evidence was produced. It seemed Mr. B.'s 
constant object and desire to impress on my mind the fact of his 
peculiar and strong influence with the Commissioners. And I did 
then and now believe, and have heard the remark made by many 
persons in this place, that they felt certain all claims entrusted to 
Mr. B. would be allowed, and that belief was grounded on the inti- 
macy and supposed influence which existed between Broadhead and 
Gen. C. 

The communications made to me by Mr. B. as above stated were 
entirely gratuitous and were unnecessary. All I asked of him was 
to present my claim in proper shape, but I never knew of his hav- 
ing done the least thing in a public manner in relation to it. I pre- 
pared it myself, with the assistance of a friend (Mr. Burnett), and 
I always supposed that Mr. Broadhead's secret influence had caused 
it to be allowed its full extent without any examination of the 
books, which were so eagerly sought after. 

Thos. P. Street's claim as shown by the commissioners' 
list was $1,068.98, and was allowed in full to Jos. Moore, 
attorney in fact. Mr. Moore was Mr. Street's partner and 
was sutler at Ft. Crawford. Later papers show that Mr. 
Street paid Brcadhead fifty dollars for his services. This 
was a small fee compared with others demanded and there 
must have been other reasons for granting the account in 
full. In the first place his account was carefully kept and 
could be used as evidence in a future complaint against the 
commission ( it was to satisfy themselves of this, perhaps, 
that they asked for his books); second, his partner was the 
army sutler; third, his father was an Indian agent, well 
known for his honesty, and at that very time with Commis- 
sioner Fleming at Rock Island adjudging similar debts, 
against the Sacs and Foxes under the treaty of October 21, 
1837. 

It was perhaps natural that Thos. Street should fee 
Broadhead, but Agent Street did not like the part his son 



126 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

had played in this affair; he could not bear even the shadow 

of a doubt cast upon his family honor. Major Hitchcock 

refers to Mr. Street's feelings in the following letter: 

St. Louis, June 11, 1839. 
Dear General: 

I send you a copy of the letters I have sent to Mr. Crawford in 
relation to you. At Prairie du Chien I heard the most insolent lan- 
guage from Dousman and I thought I could not do less than caution 
Mr. Crawford on the subject. 

As Thomas told me he paid Broadhead $50 I could not make out 
my letter without alluding to the transaction in the way I did. You 
were mistaken in the case and I could only understand it as I have 
expressed it in the letter. These matters will always have some 
unpleasant features and we must get along with them the best 
way we can. Pray, how did you understand that Thomas had not 
feed Broadhead? Have I explained it correctly, that the matter 
was a secret and that Thomas held it until Broadhead attacked 
him? 

But the greatest stir was made over the half-breed claims. 
In regard to them the report says: 

*Entire strangers in the country, having no knowledge of the 
mixed breeds, of their present or previous standing, ignorant of 
their history, so far as related in any manner to the discharge of 
this delicate duty, and limited in time, we were thrown for informa- 
tion upon the community of Prairie du Chien, and such strangers as 
happened to be there, and who had some knowledge of the service 
and standing of the Indians of mixed blood, for all information to 
govern us in the distribution of this large fund. . . . 

The safest course, they thought, would be to call upon the most 
respectable and disinterested of the old settlers, to make a classi- 
fied list of the half-breeds, according to their own knowledge of 
their merits; and upon this list, after an examination of the proofs, 
to make their decision This course was adopted, the result sub- 
mitted to and ratified by the Indians in council and the commis- 
sioners have every reason to believe gave universal satisfaction. 

The commissioners say that they called upon "the most 
disinterested of the old settlers". According to their own 
witnesses in the trial before the House of Representatives 
Committee in 1839, four of them, Dousman, Rolette, Lawe 
and Irwin, were American Fur Company agents. Of these 



"Ex. Doc. 2f>th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 19. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 127 

Lawe and Irwin were at Green Bay. Lock wood was a mer- 
chant and Justice of the Peace at Prairie du Chien and H. 
S. Baird of Green Bay was Attorney- General for the Terri- 
tory of Wisconsin. The fifth person on their list was John 
H. Kinzie, former agent for the Winnebagoes and but for 
his previous partiality to the American Fur Company was a 
disinterested person. In my previous article I have empha- 
sized the fact that Mr. Street was one of the few Indian 
agents who dared to oppose the American Fur Company. 
Of these witnesses cited by the Commissioners, Baird and 
Kinzie, judging from all accounts, were not present during 
the sitting. 

The report goes on to say: 

No bonds being required from guardians or trustees, the Com- 
missioners determined, after consultation on the subject, that it 
would not be proper to require them; and in many cases it is pre- 
sumed they could not have been given without great trouble and 
delay, in consequence of the distance at which some of the parties 
lived from the place of sessions, and if security had been required, 
the commissioners could have no knowledge of its competency. 

In all, or nearly so, both of debt and half-breed cases, the parties 
appeared by attorneys in fact, whose powers were regularly exe- 
cuted and filed with the secretary. No doubt existed in the minds 
of the commissioners that the parties had a right thus to appear 
and give full authority not only to attend to the cases before the 
board, but to receive from them the allowance awarded. In the case 
of the traders, we presume no doubt can be or is entertained, and 
in the case of the half-breeds, who are understood to be free citi- 
zens in Wisconsin Territory, it appears to the commissioners there 
can be little doubt. If the claims had belonged to white citizens, 
of education and standing in society, it would not have been at all 
a matter of surprise that they should appear by attorney, it being 
certainly the most convenient and best course. The business, 
though not conducted according to the strict course of courts of jus- 
tice, was, nevertheless, governed necessarily by prescribed forms, 
with which the half-breeds would not generally be presumed to be 
familiar, although some of them were tolerably educated, and most 
of them highly respectable. Their right so to appear was not in 
any case questioned, and the instruction did not forbid it. The 
powers, therefore, were in all cases respected, and the business 
better conducted, as the commissioners conceived, than it could 
have been in any other manner. The money, too, not having arrived 
in time, no course remained but to give drafts; and many of the 



128 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

half-breeds not living on the spot, to whom could the drafts have 
been given, or who could receipt for them but the attorneys? If a 
different course had been adopted the claimants would have been 
put to much unnecessary trouble and expense.* 

This sounds rather plausible; but what does Major Hitch- 
cock, who had been several years stationed in the Indian 
country, and most of the time at Prairie du Chien, say? 

To understand more clearly the position of the accusers in 
this case, let us go back in our narrative to the point where the 
Distributing Agent for the War Department has sent the 
money for the Winnebago half-breeds to Prairie du Chien 
by his personal friend. Mr. Street left St. Louis October 
16, and arrived at Ft. Crawford about November 1. He 
states in a later letter that it was the day after the commis- 
sioners had left. They nowhere state at what time they 
closed their sitting. Mr. Murray in his later defense says 
that they were nearly a week going to St. Louis and that 
they were there November 6. Major Hitchcock says that 
they arrived the afternoon of November 5, and that the same 
day by another boat Lieut. McKissack, the paymaster at Ft. 
Crawford, came with the money, and also he received by that 
boat a letter from Mr. Street dated November 1, in which he 
explains his disposition of the trust placed in him. This is 
the first intimation the Distributing Agent had that things 
were not straight at Prairie du Chien. The condition that 
Mr. Street found when he arrived is stated later in a letter 
to Major Hitchcock, dated February -4, 1839. He says that 
when he returned home November 3,f a Mr. Campbell, who 
married Sophia Palen one of the half-breed beneficiaries of 
the treaty, came to his house and inquired what part his wife 
was to have of the 8100,000, and when it was to be paid. 
Street answered, "I have just got home, and know nothing 
of the business done by the commission. They left here, I 
learn, yesterday. I brought up the $100,000 from Major 



*Ex. Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 20. 

fTlns must be a mistake as his letter to Maj. Hitchcock evidently written the 
day of 1 1 is arrival, is dated November 1. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 129 

Hitchcock to Dr. Reynolds, and the money is now here in 
the room. Dr. Reynolds is at St. Peters. The money will 
I presume be paid on his return, as I have sealed letters from 
Major Hitchcock to him". 

Mr. Street's paper says further: 

Mr. Dousman then came in and asked me if I had brought the 
$100,000 for the relations of the Winnebago Indians. I replied I 
had and made the same statement about Dr. Reynolds. Mr. D. then 
set to to persuade me to take or send the money back to St. Louis. 
I utterly refused to do either, on any consideration, and remarked it 
would be useless, for the money is to be paid at this place to the 
half and quarter bloods. Mr. D. said the relations had mostly all 
sold their dividends, and the drafts had gone along with the com- 
missioners, the day before, to St. Louis. I replied, I don't think 
the orders of half and quarter-breeds will be paid. The money will 
only be paid to the relations and guardians, who will be required to 
give bonds and security. That I could not understand how the 
dividends of minors could be paid to order; who can give the order, 
and who acts for them? Mr. D. answered, "All that has been settled 
by the commissioners, and all we want of you is to get the money 
to St. Louis." 

I then remarked upon what Mr. Campbell said of classifica- 
tion of claims, that they were in three classes — Nos. 1, 2 and 3 
— and No. 1 was the largest amount and No. 3 the smallest, and 
yet some of half-blood were in No. 3 and some of quarter in No. 1. 
I said the Indians declared their intention was to get the names of 
all their relations of not less than quarter blood, and divide the 
$100,000 between them equally, share and share alike. Mr. D. re- 
plied, the commissioners acted by the special order of the Secre- 
tary of War, who directed the classification as it was made. 

I then remarked, I will get rid of this business myself, but I do 
not think the money will be paid to attorneys of half-breeds. I 
can, with an open letter in my possession, hand the money over to 
the quartermaster, Lieut. McKissack. 

I went with the letter and money immediately to the fort, and 
handed them over to Mr. Mc. Mr. D. and Gen. Brook came into the 
quartermaster's office while I was paying over the money; and 
Gen. B. remarked to Mr. M. that he would give him an order to go 
to St. Louis that he might take that money down to meet the drafts 
that had gone. . . . 

Mr. Campbell expressed much dissatisfaction at the amount 
granted him ($600), and still more at the charge of half by Mr. 
Dousman, and persisted that he had given no authority to any man 
to receive it for him. How he and Mr. D. ultimately settled it, I 

Vol. VII— 9. 



130 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

know not. Mr. Campbell returned home, where I can, by inquiring, 
know more of that transaction. 

That in Ihe case of Mr. Peon, he (Peon) had a claim for goods 
formerly sold the Winnebagoes, amounting to $700. That by advice 
of Mr. D. and Mr. Boilvin, he employed Mr. Broadhead to advocate 
his claim, as he was assured if he did not employ Mr. B. he could 
get nothing. On the claim he was allowed the full claim of $700. 
Similar remarks were made to several other claimants; and they 
were assured that if they did not employ B. they could get nothing. 
That these opinions were well known to be circulated by the com- 
missioners I am constrained to believe, from the concurring opinion 
'Of so many persons. 

A slip of paper was left in the commissioners' quarters purport- 
ing to be part of a docket of cases of applications as half and quar- 
ter breeds, and that on said docket every application to which Broad- 
head is marked as counsel for claimant, the claim is in the first 
class, and at the highest rate allowed. This paper is now here 
preserved. 

Another fact. Mr. Broadhead said that Gen. Cameron and him- 
self had brought on $40,000 or $60,000 with them. Mr. F. [Feather- 
stonebaugh], the secretary, also said the commissioners did not 
care whether the disbursing agent paid their private draft, for that 
the commissioners had brought on a large amount of money, and 
the money paid out here was on a bank of which Gen. C. is presi- 
dent. "What could all the money be brought here for by the com- 
missioners and Mr. Broadhead? 

Jos. M. Stbeet. 

The natural answer to this last question was that the 
money was to buy up the half-breed claims at half price. 
Although, as shown by a later report, February 16, 1839, they 
objected to Major Hitchcock paying in Missouri State Bank 
notes instead of specie; they came prepared to buy the claims 
and did buy them with notes on a bank in Pennsylvania of 
which one of the commissioners was cashier. Surely State 
Bank of Missouri money was more suitable for transactions 
on the Mississippi river. 

Later the half-breed Peon made the following affidavit: 

Jan. 2, 1839. 

Mr. Broadhead first offered me six hundred dollars for the claims 
of my two children, stating they were only quarter-blood, and would 
be allowed very little. I refused to take it; but said, after being 
repeatedly urged, that I would sell for eight hundred ($800) dollars. 

Col. Broadhead finally agreed to give it. The action of the com- 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 131 

ruissioners, however, in reference to my children, entitled them to 
thirty-two hundred dollars. On hearing this, I became dissatisfied, 
and went to Mr. Broadhead, informing him what I had been assured, 
when he agreed to give me three hundred dollars more, making 
eleven hundred which my children received, instead of thirty-two 
hundred dollars. 

My son's name is John Baptiste, and daughter's Angelique. 

John Bt. Peon, (his X mark) 
Done in presence of 

Jos. M. Street, Ind. Agent. 
D. Lowry.* 

Frederick Oliva, who was a half-breed, stated to Mr. Street 
that Mr. Broadhead and Mr. Boilvin, came to see him two 
or three times, on the subject of purchasing his half-breed 
claims. When he finally told them that he did not wish to 
sell his claim, but would abide the decision of the commis- 
sioners; upon which he was solicited by Mr. Broadhead to 
manage or present his claim, for which Mr. Broadhead would 
charge him ten per cent., assuring Oliva that if he did not 
receive $1,500 he would not charge him anything for his 
trouble. Oliva consented and received a draft for $1,500 for 
which he paid Mr. Broadhead $150.00. Mr. Street further 
states from information gained from Oliva that Antoine 
Grignon and John Roy sold their claims to Broadhead for 
$800 each. The treaty donations gave them $2,000 each 
and the papers of the commissioners show that Broadhead 
received certificates for $1,600 for each of these claimants. 

In his defense, dated February 14, 1839, Mr. Murray says: 

On our passage down the Mississippi at the rapids of Des Moines 
(where our boat was detained) we were overtaken by a boat in 
which Lieut. McKissack, quartermaster at Ft. Crawford, and in 
charge of the half-breed money, was a passenger. It was then and 
there proposed to me, and I suppose also to Gen. Cameron, that the 
drafts should be paid at once. This proposition was made me by 
Mr. Broadhead. I had no authority as a commissioner to control 
this matter. But did I advise it? Mr. Broadhead, if called on, will, 
I am sure, do me the justice to say that I advised against it, upon 
the ground that it was not a proper place for the transaction of 
such business; and that, as the drafts were drawn on Major Hitch- 
cock, he had better pay them.'t 



*Ex. Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 57 
tEx. Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 98 



132 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

This shows that Mr. Murray had some scruples against 
barefaced robbery. 

Before detailed news of these transactions could have 
reached Major Hitchcock and as soon as the commissioners 
arrived in St. Louis, the Distributing Agent writes to the 
Commissioner of Indian Affairs as follows: 

Office Mil. Dis. Agt. Indn. Dept. 

Saint Louis, Novr. 6, 1838. 
T. Hartley Ceawford, Esq., 

Comr. of Indn. Affrs. 

I have been compelled from a sense of duty to suspend payment 
of the Winnebago half-breed money until I can receive your in- 
structions. 

I was directed to pay the half-breeds; on the "requisitions of the 
commissioners." The usage of the Department, under similar in- 
structions, as understood by me, has been for the persons author- 
ized to make requisitions to require the payment to be made to the 
proper claimant. (Form No. 1, Rev'd. Reg's. No. 3.) If the claimant 
is a white man and disposes of his claim, it is his business and his 
right so to do is not disputed. In the case of the Indians the rule 
is different, the 31st par. Rev'd. Reg's. No. 3 being explicit on this 
point. 

Half-breeds are neither white men nor Indians as expressed 
in their name — and the proper treatment of them is neither defined 
in the regulations nor perhaps established by usage. If it is said 
they are not Indians and must therefore be treated as white men, it 
may more plausibly be said they are not white men and ought 
therefore to be treated as Indians, as they unquestionably have 
been in almost all treaties containing stipulations in their favor — • 
(Art. 1st treaty 4th Aug., 1824, Sacs and Foxes; Arts. 6 and 11 treaty 
June 3d, 1825, Kansas; Arts. 3 and 6 treaty Oct. 6, 1838, Miamis; 
Art. 3 treaty 23, Oct., 1826; Art. 4th treaty Dec. 29, 1838; Art. 2d 
treaty Aug. 29, 1821, Ottawas, Chippewa, &c, last part of the 
Art.; Art. 2d treaty 18 Feb., 1833, Ottawas, &c, &c, and especially 
the spirit of the 6th Art. treaty 28th March, 183G, Ottawas and 
Chippewas.) 

It is against all knowledge, although there may be exceptions, 
to suppose the half-breeds are acquainted with the nature of powers 
of attorney and bills of exchange, and to discuss the questions con- 
cerning them upon a presumption of their moral responsibility to 
our laws and usages is, to my mind, an absurdity. 

Premising thus much, I have to state that the fund for the pay- 
ment of the Winnebago half-breeds was not received by me until 
the 9th ulto. I availed myself of the first boat and first opportunity 
(which occurred on the 16th) and sent it from this city to Prairie 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 138 

du Chien to be paid to the persons whom the commissioners might 
designate as the proper claimants. 

But the commissioners had decided to require payment, not to 
the individual claimants, but almost exclusively to third persons, 
and principally to a monied man who traveled from Philadelphia 
with a large amount of Philadelphia bank notes (doubtless for some 
lawful purpose), upon his procuring powers of attorney. I do not 
wish to question the motives of this monied man in following the 
commissioners to Prairie du Chien with his bank notes, but I 
cannot sufficiently express my regret that the late date at which 
the half-breed money was remitted has given him the opportunity 
of purchasing, with his rags, the claims of a miserable body of 
ignorant half-breeds totally unacquainted with the nature of the 
business in which he was engaged. 

Another class of persons in whose favor the commissioners have 
required payments are called guardians and trustees, not one of 
whom has been required to give bond for the faithful disposition of 
the money. 

To pay these people without requiring bonds will scarcely be 
even a form of payment and to suppose that 10 per cent of the 
money thus paid, can ever benefit the proper claimants is to defy all 
experience. 

The commissioners who are now in town, observe on this point 
that they had no instructions to require bonds and that therefore 
their doing so "would not be legal," but I do not see the sequence. 

One among these selected trustees was arrested for debt in 
this city last spring— another I have been creditably informed dared 
not come here on account of his debts, and a third is a most 
notorious gambler. Two of these I venture to say could not borrow 
a thousand dollars to save them from the county jail. 

It is from no disposition to retain the money in my hands that I 
suspend this payment. I had already sent it to Prairie du Chien, 
and my sending to the Sioux half-breeds their hundred and ten 
thousand dollars without instructions as reported by my letter of 
the 9th Sept. will show my readiness to disburse the public money 
when I am satisfied with the occasion, but the well known and enor- 
mous frauds upon half-breeds of other tribes impose upon me a duty 
in this case, and I cannot pay this money to the "Winnebago half- 
breed claimants without instructions based upon a knowledge of 
the circumstances doubtless unexpected to the Department, grow- 
ing out of the fact that the money was not at Prairie du Chien until 
the commissioners had closed their labours. 

I enclose herewith a list of claimants as ascertained by the 
commissioners with their requisitions attached to it, which I re- 
quest may be returned* to me. I also send copies of individual orders 
or drafts which will explain the manner of receiving payment. 

I cannot close this letter, long as it is, without observing that 



134 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

the Department thought proper to indicate a distinction between the 
claims of white persons and those of half-breeds, by paying the 
former in Washington, while the money was sent for the latter. It 
appears to me the distinction thus drawn was not without meaning, 
extending as it did to all the tribes on the Upper Mississippi. 

Since writing the foregoing I have seen and conversed with the 
commissioners. They urge that they were expected to distribute the 
money and that they only are responsible. I answered, that their 
instructions were given under the presumption that the money 
would be on the spot to be distributed by them to the proper claim- 
ants; but the money not being there presented a contingency not 
anticipated and that in point of fact their duties could not be exe- 
cuted and should have been determined on the knowledge of that 
contingency. 

I have also seen some of the claimants, one of whom has held 
out a threat of protest — but this was merely done to test the strength 
of my determination. 

I hope, in considering this matter you will do me the justice to 
bear in mind that I have already shown my willingness to pay the 
money by sending it to Prairie du Chien. 

I have remarked to the claimants that I presumed the drafts 
would ultimately be paid, but that in my belief they were given 
under circumstances not contemplated in the instructions of the 
commissioners and that the circumstances were of a character that 
required a higher sanction for the payment than my own, and, in 
short, that the Department could bear better than myself the re- 
sponsibility of payment. 

Very Respectfully, 

Yr. Obt. Servt. 

E. A. Hitchcock, 

Maj. M. D. Agt. 

P. S. The importance of the list of claimants referred to has 
induced me to retain it until I can prepare a copy, which I will trans- 
mit tomorrow. E. A. H.* 

From this letter it will be seen that Major Hitchcock 
objected to paying the claims because they were paid not to 
the half-breeds but to an attorney. The whole arrangement 
appeals to him as contrary to the spirit of the treaty, which 
was to pay the money into the hands of the half-breeds 
themselves. 

The boat which brought down Lieut. McKissack brought 
several citizens from Prairie du Chien and also a letter from 



*Ex. Doc, 25th Cong., 3d Sess., p. 7. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 135 

Agent Street. Between the evening of the 5th, when Major 
Hitchcock talked to General Cameron and Mr. Murray in 
the hotel and refused on general principles to pay the drafts, 
and November 8, he had had time to learn more of the dis- 
satisfaction at the Prairie over the award of the commission- 
ers. Accordingly he sends another letter to Commissioner 
Crawford at Washington. 

Office Mil. Dis. Agt. Ind. Dept. 

Saint Louis, Nov. 8, 1838. 
T. Hartley Cbawfobd, Esq., 

Comr. of Indn. Affrs. 

Sir: It .vas not my intention, as certainly as it was not my wish, 
to occupy your time with another communication on the subject of 
the Winnebago half-breed money, but as new circumstances come 
to my knowledge I must write to do justice to the subject, to my- 
self and to others. 

I have crossed the purposes of a band of greedy speculators and 
brought upon myself the maledictions of many who will pretend an 
infinite degree of sympathy for the very half-breeds whom they 
have cheated and almost robbed by what will boldly be put forth as 
a legal proceeding. Be the consequences what they may, I rejoice 
that I have for a few weeks at least suspended the execution of this 
business. 

I have now to inform you, that I know an instance where a mau, 
selected by the commissioners as a "trustee," received in that ca- 
pacity an order for $1,800 who has .in this city offered it in payment 
of a note of his own due last summer and which note was dishonored 
and paid by his endorser and the amount suffered to remain a debt 
due the endorser to this day. Can this man be worthy of the trust 
reposed in him and is it possible that instructions could have con- 
templated the payment of money in trust to such person, without 
taking a bond for its faithful appropriation. 

1 am informed and have not the slightest doubt of the fact, that 
every possible exertion was made to deceive the half-breeds into the 
belief that the Government was without money; was not disposed 
to pay the half-breeds ; and that if they permitted the opportunity of 
selling their claims to pass they would never receive anything, and 
that one claim of $1,800 was actually thus sold for $400. Can such 
transactions pass in review without condemnation because it may 
wear the color of law. It is monstrous, and, if lawful, the law is a 
scourge to the innocent. 

It will be urged upon you that actual claimants have been refused 
money in their proper persons and subjected to great losses. I am 
not so blind as not to see the use intended to be made of a farce en- 



136 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

acted in my office when an artful "attorney in fact" and "trustee" 
brought into my presence a half-breed named Oliva — one of five 
only who received requisitions in their own names — for the purpose 
of making a case upon which to complain of hardship. I request 
you to examine the list of claimants as shown on the copy forwarded 
and you will see but five of the whole body have had the wit and 
strength to withstand the influence brought to bear by the cupidity 
of white men and receive certificates in their own name. Oliva, one 
of the five referred to, will not suffer. The wit that secured him at 
Prairie du Chien will not abandon him here, and he is the only one 
that I have heard of as having come here except by "attorney in 
fact" or by "trustee." 

It is in vain to attempt to smother the grossness of this proceed- 
ing. Why were not the certificates of claim simply recorded in 
favour of the original and proper claimant, if the commission must 
needs go through the form of payment? Was it because such cer- 
tificates were not drafts? Was it because the "attorneys in fact" 
could not press their claims under purchase with half the show of 
right they now pretend? 

I beg of you to examine attentively the list of claimants for- 
warded yesterday. You will see the names of but five original claim- 
ants reported as having received orders on me. This was known to 
the commissioners, who, when I suggested the propriety of making 
payment at Prairie du Chien, immediately informed me that claims 
for nearly the whole amount were already in this city. I grieve to 
say it, but the impulse is irresistible and I must express my ap- 
prehension that the form of payment was acquiesced in for the se- 
curity of the purchaser, and not for the benefit of the claimant, and 
that in this proceeding the commissioners yielded their duty of 
guardianship of the half-breeds to a seeming compliance with the 
forms of law for the protection of "attorneys in fact." 

There has been great eloquence wasted in an argument to prove 
that the proper claimants are scattered and beyond the reach of the 
paying agents of the Indian Department, but this is all a waste of 
words. If they live with Indians they can be found with them. If 
with white men, their blood will distinguish and publish them; and 
I for one, as a Dis. Agt., do not thank the commissioners for an 
attempt to save me from the performance of a duty appertaining to 
my situation. If "attorneys in fact" can find the claimant, so can 
the officers of the Indian Department. If it be said that they have 
paid the claimants already, and are not expected to find them, the 
assertion truly characterizes the whole proceeding and shows in 
what manner these "attorneys in fact" became invested with the 
confidential trust they have filed with the commissioners. 

The powers of attorney were purchased, and for the most part 
by an utter stranger, a man entirely unknown to the half-breeds 
and having not the shadow of claim upon their confidence but 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 137 

through the contents of his purse. The commissioners inform me 
that they have no knowledge of the sale of claims, yet they inform 
me that the claims were nearly all here. In the first assertion they 
must speak in a technical sense and can only mean that the powers 
of attorney do not show the sale; while in the second, they know, 
in another sense, all about the claims; where they are and how they 
were procured. I do not wish to be disrespectful to the commis- 
sioners, but I must think they were not selected at a great distance 
from the scene of their duties at $5* per day at congress traveling 
days, and their expenses all paid besides, to act with two species of 
knowledge and shield themselves from a high moral responsibility 
by "keeping the law on their side." I was officially informed that 
their sittings were to have been held in the Indian country where 
all the expenses were to be paid by the Government, in order to se- 
cure justice to the claimants and drafts on the Government for up- 
wards of $5,000 are now in motion besides the per diem due the 
commissioners, on account of expenses incurred by their commis- 
sion, and yet by a seeming fatality the half-breeds have been cheated 
and abused under their eyes and they "don't know it." 

I recommend that payment be ordered to the original claimants; 
that the list reported by the commissioners be regarded only as a 
schedule like that embraced on page 588 of the Book of "Treaties to 
1837," except that "trustees" be paid on giving proper bonds, and 
the half-breeds can then refund the amounts advanced to them by 
"attorneys in fact." 

•Very Respectfully, 

E. A. Hitchcock, 

Maj. M. D. Agt. 

P. S. I have just been informed that the claimants at Prairie du 
Chien, on hearing that the money for them had actually been sent 
to the Prairie, contrary to assurances given them, sent to this place 
a protest against the proceedings of the commissioners to stay the 
money in my hands, and it has been intimated from a respectable 
source that the agent had been bought to silence. Time may dis- 
close something on this subject important to the honor of the 
Government. 

November 10, 1838, Jos. M. Street writes to Major 
Hitchcock as follows: 

You will hereafter learn the course pursued by the commis- 
sioners. I have no leisure or heart to detail the shameful and cor- 
rupt course represented to me. Lockwood and Dousman, in con- 
junction with a Mr. Broadhead (the latter with the commissioners, 
and bragged that he had made $60,000 out of claims and half-breeds), 
decided the cases, and the commissioners only confirmed their acts 



Instructions of the War Dept. show that $8.00 per day was paid. 



138 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

officially. Let any man of common sense and honesty look at the 
treaty, and then place the half-breeds in classes, if they can; and 
that, too, has no relation to half or quarter-blood, but they are 
classed by favor. A quarter-blood is the first class and a half in 
the third class. If the case was represented by Mr. Broadhead, or 
Mr. Dousman, or Lockwood, strongly, it was in the first or second 
class; if not advocated by either of these potent characters, the case 
went in the third class. On expressing my surprise at any classifica- 
tion under the language of the treaty, Mr. Dousman replied that 
special instructions were given to the commissioners to make the 
classification. 

You ?/ill no doubt hear from other sources of the conduct of the 
commissioners, as represented to me. Not one cent ought to be 
paid upon such decisions. Had the commissioner under the Sac and 
Fox treaty been guilty of such conduct, I am confident he would not 
have been permitted to proceed. I had some idea of their conduct 
from claims sent against the Sacs and Foxes, and promptly rejected. 

A month later he writes: 

In the case of the half and quarter-breeds, much more depended 
on the employment of Mr. B. ; yet a man of plain common sense and 
common honesty would declare that there was no need of a lawyer, 
for it must alone depend, under the treaty, upon one simple fact — 
whether they were related to the Winnebagoes as near as half or 
quarter blood. If they were, they were entitled to a share; if not, 
they ought to be wholly excluded.. The only question that would 
arise under the treaty was between the amounts to be granted half 
and quarter-breeds; whether half-breeds should draw the same as 
quarter-breeds, or if half-breeds would not be entitled to full shares, 
and quarter-breeds to half shares. But no one, from reading the 
treaty, will say that the commissioners, or the Indians who made the 
treaty, intended anything but the equal division amongst all their 
relations not further off than quarter-blood, of $100,000, share and 
share alike. The idea of any classification of the relations was 
never thought of by the Indians; and a classification which has 
grown out of this measure, giving to a quarter-blood a full share, and 
to a half-blood less than half the amount given to the quarter, is 
monstrous, and to the Indians, and especially those who made the 
treaty, unsatisfactory. True, in some cases, the influence operating 
upon the Indians, and the constant stream of intoxicating drinks, 
freely given, to keep up that influence, prevent anything from being 
said; still the language of the treaty remains, and gives color to the 
charges from every quarter, of partiality in the classification of the 
relations of the Indians; and if inquired into, it is found to rest, as 
I have said, upon the fact of the employment of Mr. Broadhead. If 
Mr. B. was well feed to his satisfaction, the relation was placed in 
the first cla^s, and entitled to the largest share; if not so well feed, 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 139 

in the second class, with a proportionate deduction of dividend; and 
if not feed at all, in the third class with the smallest dividend. This 
classification, too, had no relation to blood, whether of half or quar- 
ter, but was graduated by the fee paid to Mr. Broadhead. 

Long before any claimant could understand the fate of his claim, 
Mr. Broadhead could tell all about it; and in some cases, the claim- 
ants, by employing him when their claims were reported to them to 
be rejected for want of proof, got them allowed by employing Mr. B. 
Some, too, who were informed by the commissioners that most of 
their claims were rejected, and but a small part granted, gave Mr. 
B. his full fee and found their claims confirmed at the largest 
amount they claimed, ultimately. In most cases Mr. B.'s fee was 
such a per cent upon the amount allowed, and secured to him out of 
the claim. 

The impression has obtained currency here, that the commis- 
sioners brought Mr. Broadhead with them, upon a bargain, to share 
profits obtained through him of the claimants and half-breeds; and 
that they have made at least $20,000 apiece; that is, Mr. B. declared 
his fees amounted to upward of $60,000. Persons have calculated 
differently, and think his fees near $80,000. These fees, too, were 
as good as cash in hand, being a per centum upon claims and 
shares. . . . 

In the case of the claims, to have the advocacy of Mr. Broadhead, 
Mr. Dousman, and Mr. Lockwood, was sufficient to ensure the pass- 
age of the claim. And Mr. Boilvin was a most potent advocate, and 
doorkeeper for the commissioners frequently; indeed, most fre- 
quently they acted with closed doors; and Mr. Boilvin in most cases 
acted as doorkeeper and turned gentlemen back who were coming 
into the commissioners' office on business with them. Was it not 
strange, passing strange, to have a board decide on the claims and 
report to the commissioners (who in all cases confirmed their de- 
cision) composed of two traders, themselves having large claims, 
and one of them the largest trader with those very Indians? To me 
it was astonishing. As I said in my former letter, if the commis- 
sioner at Rock Island had appointed Davenport or any of the traders 
to examine claims, there would have been such discontent that I 
should have expected that the proceedings would have been forcibly 

stopped. 

Concluded in next number. 



THE SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION 
OF 1838. 



BY IDA M. STREET. 

( Concluded from July Annals. ) 

On January 8, 1839, Mr. Street writes more fully to Major 
Hitchcock as follows: 

The cases of Messrs. Peon and Oliva will show the amount 
shaved off the sums allowed them by Mr. Broadhead; and I will add 
another case of a discharged soldier, named Vunk. I am unable to 
say how much Vunk was allowed by the commissioners, yet a refer- 
ence to the name in their returns will show. This case of Vunk* 
is on the information of Mr. Sam Gilbert, a very respectable citizen 
of this place, and well known to you. Vunk came to this place, 
sometime in July, with a Winnebago squaw, who had a half-breed 
child born previous to the treaty of 1837, and lived in an old dilapi- 
dated house belonging to Mr. Lockwood, next door to Mr. Gilbert. 

Vunk was subject to hard drinking, and told Mr. Gilbert he came 
to get a part of the $100,000 given to half-breeds by the Winnebagoes 
for his child; that he had sold his claim to Mr. Broadhead, and 
would go as soon as the commissioners decided on the claim; that 
he was to get $400, to be paid in Mr. Lockwood's store, and as soon 
as he could get it, he intended to leave the squaw and go off. Mr. 
Gilbert saw Vunk getting goods afterwards at Lockwood's, and V. 
came to T. P. Street's store with orders from Lockwood for goods. 
Vunk was frequently drunk, and about the time the commissioners 
left here, V. quit the place, leaving the squaw and child with the 
Indians; nor is it known where Vunk went. The squaw and child 
are dependent for food and clothing on their own exertions, and are 
with a hunting party of Indians on Turkey river. Every cent of the 
sum divided to this half-breed child is lost forever to the child; the 
claim, and the money paid to him he drank out or carried away, 
abandoning the squaw and the child to the care of her people. What 
good has this done a half-breed ? 

There are doubtless many similar cases; but as most of the half- 
breeds live at Green Bay and the Portage, I have been unable to see 
them, and no information can be obtained by letter, for few of the 
half-breeds can write, and a letter would be carried to some trader, 
or to Boilvin, who is too much involved in the frauds to suffer any 
information to be given. 

I am promised a few leaves from a docket, found in the quarters 
occupied by the commissioners here after their departure, which I 



"This is Pouk on one list and Vark on another, and the amount is $600. 

140 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 141 

will enclose if I can get them. On them may be seen, I am told, 
that every case to which Mr. Broadhead is marked as attorney for 
the half-breeds, is in the first class, and of course entitled to the 
largest amount. The classification of the claims was certainly, in 
itself, unjust, and at once furnished the means of the most shameful 
speculation. If there had been no classification, the half-breeds, 
ignorant as they are, could have counted up their numbers, and, by 
dividing the $100,000 into that many parts, would see how much 
would be coming to each one; but placed in three classes, made by 
arbitrary distinctions unknown to the half-breeds, they and every 
other person (not in the confidence of the commissioners) were 
alike in the dark. Some of the first class were quarter-bloods, some 
still farther off, and some of the third class were full half-bloods. 
The commissioners pretended to class them in proportion to their 
ability to be useful to the Indians; this, too, depending upon such 
information as they could get from Dousman, Lockwood, Boilvin, 
and Rolette, who are mostly engaged in the same speculations and 
impositions upon the half-breeds. Mr. Marsh, (a respectable mer- 
chant of this place) partner of Bugbee, said to me that he knew not 
many persons of the half-breeds, but that one, a minor, was allowed 
$6,000, and, he understood, had sold his or her claim to Mr. Broad- 
head. Mr. Marsh further said, that when half-breeds first came to 
this place to attend upon the commissioners, the general opinion 
expressed by them was, that each one would get about $1,000 of the 
$100,000 to their share. They said there was about a hundred per- 
sons of the relations. But very soon he heard of the classification 
and the arbitrary rule of classing, by the commissioners — not on the 
principles of the laws of the United States, according to blood, but 
according to the possible usefulness that the person might be to the 
Winnebago tribe, to be judged by the commissioners, dependent on 
information obtained from the before mentioned packed source. 
This confounded all calculations amongst the relations and the 
whites (except those in the confidence of the commissioners) the 
initiated few. The consequence was, the relations who were in the 
dark were persuaded by Broadhead, aided by Dousman, Brisbois, 
Boilvin, Lockwood, etc., that they would get very little, and strongly 
urged by all these advisers to sell to Broadhead; and the same 
management deterred merchants and other capitalists from coming 
into contact with a man domiciled with the commissioners at private 
lodgings, who appeared the confidential friend and adviser of the 
commissioners, and, if he chose, could and occasionally did, let 
persons know the decisions of the commissioners long before they 
were known to any other person. So deeply were the half-breeds 
and many other claimants impressed with the belief that the com- 
missioners and Mr. Broadhead were acting in concert, that they 
generally spoke of Mr. Broadhead as one of the commissioners. 



142 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

One evening Mr. Broadhead came into a boarding house with 
the commissioners and sat for some time figuring on a paper, and 
exclaimed: "Not a bad business; they amount to $60,000, which 
divided by four, gives $15,000 to each — not a bad busi7iess." Mr. 
Broadhead did not explain further, possibly as there were several 
other persons in the room; but Marsh suspected from all appear- 
ances, he meant himself, one or both the commissioners, and 
Messrs. Dousman and Lockwood; if the commissioners were con- 
cerned, Dousman, Broadhead, and the commissioners; if Cameron 
alone of the commissioners, then Dousman, Broadhead, Cameron 
and Lockwood made the four. Boilvin and Brisbois were evidently 
merely used, and found their account in the passage of such accounts 
as 'they laid in against the Indians, or got some small sop; and with 
this last class Lockwood may be numbered as being bought by 
something in proportion to their limited headpieces. 

Mr. Marsh, though, thinks $60,000 was too small an amount, if 
Mr. Broadhead purchased all the half-breeds; so he thinks there 
were four persons engaged in Broadhead's speculation, amounting 
to $60,000, and that Dousman and Lockwood had made speculations 
separately. At this place I can certainly hear of but one case 
unsold;* that is a half-breed, named Mitchell, for whom Dr. Moore 
drew as agent, and the draft was placed in my hands by T. P. Street, 
to be used by me to refund some money advanced by me for Moore 
& Street, and assigned to Pratte, Chouteau & Co.; this is $600. f 
The half-breed lives with Dr. Moore, and is about eight or nine years 
old. The case of Mrs. Campbell (late Sophia Palen) is drawn to 
Dousman, agent for Palen, or Campbell, and Dousman said is for 
$600; and in my hearing he told Campbell he could let him have but 
$300; for, said Dousman, "If I had not attended to your case you 
would not have got a cent." Moore and T. P. Street are merchants 
trading as Moore & Street. 

The information given is, principally, from the following sources, 
to-wit: Peon's case from Mr. Peon, the father, and Mr. Oliva, all 
living here. Oliva's case from Oliva. The other cases given by 
Oliva. Vunk case, Sam Gilbert, Palen or Campbell's case, of my 
own knowledge; Campbell and wife, Lower Rapids. Broadhead's 
declaration of the $60,000, Mr. Marsh, living here. The other 
information is from Mr. Marsh, and the general suspicions of the 
speculations of the commissioners from various persons here, who 
all seem to think that from all appearances B. and the commission- 
ers were concerned and acted together. 

The secretary, Mr. Featherstonehaugh, said that the commis- 
sioners did not care a fig whether the disbursing agent paid their 
drafts for expenses or not; Gen. Cameron had brought upwards of 
$60,000 along with him, of his own money. Mr. B. made a s'milar 



', ! *That is, unsold to Broadhead. 

V fTho exact amount in the award. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 143 

declaration in Mr. Boyd's presence. What could this $60,000 be 
brought here for ? And does not the amount strangely correspond 
with Mr. B.'s soliloquy about the $60,000 divided by four making 
$15,000— "not a bad business ?" One thing is certain: $100,000 was 
to have been distributed to the half-breeds. Drafts for the whole 
amount have been made and to whom? And who has the legal right 
over this large amount? The half-breeds? No. Mr. Broadhead, Mr. 
Dousman, Mr. Lockwood, etc. Some few thousand dollars in notes 
of a bank in Middletown, Penn., of which S. Cameron is cashier, 
were paid for these claims to half-breeds here; and I can hear of 
no other obligations even for the payment of any more here. This v 
is a strange disappearance of $100,000. Mr. Dousman said to me 
that there was not $1,000 of the drafts for parts of the $100,000 in 
Prairie du Chien, for they went to St. Louis on the same boat as the 
commissioners. Mr. Dousman further said today (8th Jan., 1839) : 
"Major Hitchcock did wrong to suspend the payments, and he will 
be made to see it, and feel it, too. I have ordered all my cases to 
be protested legally, and have no doubt about it I will get the 
accounts and expenses of protest." This was said in my hearing, 
in presence of several gentlemen. At the same place in a conversa- 
tion with Mr. Rolette, he said: "It would have been well enough to 
take security of persons to whom the money of half-breed minors 
was paid; for at St. Peters, in paying half-breed Sioux, some $5,000 
was paid to Stambaugh, but little of which will ever go to the half- 
breeds." I did not reply. 

The request made in a former letter, that the information given 
should remain with you only, proceeded from a desire not to subject 
myself to the persecution it might raise, without any benefit to the 
half-breeds, and not from a want of evidence of the truth of the 
information. Now if anything can be done to obtain justice for the 
half-breeds, I freely give you leave to use whatever I have written, 
in such a way as may best subserve the cause of justice and right. 
To me it seems base and unpardonable, that men chosen by the 
president, and sent at a great expense so far, to see justice done to 
the Indians and to the half-breeds, should suffer such speculations 
to go on under their noses, as it were, by a lawyer coming with them 
from the same portion of the country they inhabit, and living all the 
time with the commissioners and in close intimacy with them. 
Even if the commissioners were not interested in the speculations, 
to suffer it, and in such a way, too, is monstrous. Yet, the only 
money paid out was the notes of the Middletown bank, of which 
Gen. Cameron is cashier; and his friend, the secretary of the com- 
missioners, boasted Gen. C. had brought on $60,000; and no other 
bank notes were flush about this place at this time, but miserable 
depreciated paper of Wisconsin. 

I regret that Mr. Marsh went into the country and I failed to 
see him, as I expected today; when he promised, if practicable, to 



144 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

get the leaves of the docket and hand them over to me. If I cannot 
see Mr. M. before the mail closes, they shall come in the next mail, 
three days hence. In my conversation with gentlemen here about 
the commissioners, they unite in an opinion that there was too close 
an intimacy between Mr. B. and the commissioners for them to 
remain ignorant of Mr. B.'s speculations; and they think Mr. B. 
knew too much of the state of their decision before being known to 
any other persons, for the commissioners to be free from some inter- 
est in the business carried on by Mr. B. ; at least, such seems decid- 
edly the case as to Gen. C. Mr. Murray is described as a nervous 
hypochondriac, of extremely singular manners, and of unequalled 
irritable mind, though generally distant and gentlemanly in his 
deportment. Public mind here seems to favor the opinion that 
Murray was innocent, possibly, of any pecuniary interest in the 
speculations; but, from his disposition declined prying into Gen. C.'s 
conduct, or thrusting himself forward as an upright man would have 
done to save a parcel of ignorant fellow creatures from being so 
cruelly fleeced by Gen. C. and Mr. B. v 

The half-breeds, too, thought there was no relief — the offers of 
Mr. B. or nothing. These were men sent by the president, stood 
high in his favor, and what they did would be approved. Besides, 
the Sioux commissioners came down at the time, and the whites 
who had been up to prey upon them, all united in approbation of 
the plan of classification, and some declared in my presence that 
this (the classification) was made in obedience to the orders of the 
secretary of war, which Mr. Dousman assured me he had seen. All 
this taken together by unlettered, ignorant half-breeds, brought them 
to the conclusion to take anything Mr. B. offered; for they consid- 
ered it was that or nothing. Many had come more than 100 miles 
and remained here on expense for a long time, and had no money 
to pay; they were forced to sell to get away. The time taken to 
simply divide $100,000 between less than 100 half-breeds was out 
of all reason, and there is no apology for making the half-breeds 
remain here until the claimants for debts should come in and their 
claims be decided upon. The half-breeds might have been acted 
upon, and their business completed in a few days; and yet, the com- 
missioners kept them here, and their cases undecided, near 70 or 
80 days. They did not even know what they were adjudged to 
receive until a few days before the departure of the commissioners 
from this place. When they learned (partially at last) how deep 
they had been shaved, they began to murmur so loud that Mr. B. 
in Peon's case, had to plank up $300 in addition to the sum he had 
given him for the two claims of his children (two minors), who 
may or may not get the $1,100 given by Mr. B. ; yet the commis- 
sioners gave their certificate to pay Mr. B. $3,200 for those two 
claims. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 145 

P. S. A few days past, Mr. Lockwood said he felt perfectly sure 
his part of the $100,000 would be paid; for when the commissioners 
got to Washington, they would induce the Secretary of War to have 
all paid, for, said he, Mr. Broadhead has too deep a stake in the 
half-breed claims for the commissioners to see him suffer. I feel 
no fear for the event. Jos. M. Stbeet. 

The classification which Mr. Street so severely criticised 
was really in accordance with the instructions of the Secre- 
tary of War, as shown by the following from the Commis- 
sioner of Indian Affairs to the Sioux Commissioners, and 
quoted to the Winnebago Commissioners: 

"In determining the amount which each claimant (half- 
breed) shall receive, your attention will be directed to the 
following considerations: The degree of relationship, and 
the value and extent of services or supplies rendered to the 
Indians, or the capacity, disposition and intention, to render 
them in the future, as these constitute the entire foundation 
for this provision in the treaty." 

There could be no objection, legally, to the classification. 
Nor do the Commissioner of Indian Affairs or the Secretary 
of War make any. 

On November 19, Major Hitchcock writes to Mr. Craw- 
ford, stating that his duties as a distributing officer close at 
the end of the month, and asking for leave to come to Wash- 
ington. 

It is my wish to pay a short visit to my relatives and friends m 
Mobile Alabama, where a short furlough was voluntarily relin- 
quished for services in Florida in 1835, since which time I have 
been constantly and laboriously on duty. 

In view of the preceding facts and considerations, I respectfully 
request that my continuance here be authorized until I can collect 
my vouchers, which periods I will terminate by my certificate on 
honor; and that then I be called to Washington to settle my 
accounts, with leave to travel by the way of Mobile on a visit of two 
months to that place. 

Should you deem your own authority insufficient for this, I hope 
you will not think it unreasonable that I request you to apply to 
the Hon. the Secretary of War for the necessary instructions. 
Very respectfully, 

Yo. Obt. Servant, 

E. A. Hitchcock. 

Maj. 8th Infy. 



146 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

Major Hitchcock's letters of November 6 and 8, called 
forth an order from Mr. Crawford that the payment of the 
half-breed claims be stopped. This is shown by Major 
Hitchcock's letter of December 3. 

Office Disbg. Agt. Indian Deft. 

St. Louis, Dec. 3, 1838. 

To 

T. Habtley Ceawfobd, Esq.. 

Commr. of Indian Affairs. 

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 
of the 21st ulto. directing that no payments he made from the fund 
for "Winnebago half-breeds without further instructions and request- 
ing me to communicate any further information I may have on the 
subject of the mode of payment directed by the late commission 
at Prairie du Chien. 

Since my reports upon this subject, there has not been time to 
communicate with any one at Prairie du Chien; but I have a letter 
from General Street, dated at that place November 1st after the 
commission had left there and before he could have heard of any 
proceedings. General Street says, in reference to the Winnebago 
commission: "The course pursued by the commission has been 
very different from that of Mr. Fleming at Rock Island. From the 
statement of correct persons here the most shameful bribery and 
favoritism has been practiced." 

In a matter of so much importance, involving the reputation of 
gentlemen honored with the commission of the government for the 
execution of a high trust and effecting the interests of many indi- 
viduals who have confided in the integrity of the government agents, 
at is of the utmost consequence that nothing should be received as 
decisive to the prejudice of such interests without the fullest assur- 
ance of necessity. 

I mention this consideration to show that I am aware of the 
responsibility under which I express my satisfaction with the order 
of the 21st ulto. and recommend that it be continued until definite 
reports can be received from the parties interested at and in the 
neighborhood of Prairie du Chien. There is, however, one claimant 
living in this city to whom I had sent the order of the 20th with 
the notice of my readiness to pay him in his own proper person. 
Should he make his appearance good faith will require me to make 
the payment. This I presume may be done without injustice to 
any one. Those who received drafts in their own right might also 
be paid the amounts awarded them, for they cannot be entitled to 
less, though it is possible they should receive more. 

I have the means and shall employ them of procuring accurate 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 147 

information from Prairie du Chien and the results will be reported 
without delay. 

I am very respectfully, 

Your Obdt. Servt., 

E. A. HlTOHOOOK, 

Maj. M. D. Agt. 
There was a further effect of this complaint, for January 
28, 1839, T. Hartley Crawford wrote to Hon. J. R. Poinsett, 
Secretary of War, objecting to the acceptance of the Com- 
missioners' report. As to the excuse that they could not 
find books kept by the traders, he says, "other commission- 
ers have found proofs and no difficulty imposed itself that 
was not overcome." He further shows that the traders who 
were to profit by this loose way of granting claims were the 
ones who suggested this method to the commissioners. In 
regard to the half-breed claims he says: 

There is a vital particular in which, in my judgment, the instruc- 
tions are not wholly violated, but which, if this branch of the report 
could be sanctioned, would divert $100,000 from the quarter-blood 
Winnebagoes, and put it in the pockets of white men! The instruc- 
tions point plainly to the payment of the money to the Indians, and 
if they did not, it seems to me the appearance by attorney in fact, 
and the granting of certificates to those representatives opened so 
wide an entrance to fraud that I cannot repress expression of my 
surprise that such a course should have been deemed proper. The 
money was to be paid to the respective persons entitled to it, except 
in instances of minors, orphans and incompetents. The execution 
of the treaty, in either its spirit or letter, forbade any other pro- 
cedure, and yet, out of 92 Indians of mixed blood, the report shows 
that only 13 received certificates for their own money, either by 
themselves or parents; of the remaining 79, certificates were 
granted on 60 claims to attorneys in fact, and only 19 to trustees. 
Where was the necessity for these attorneys? Are they not assign- 
ers of these claims? I have no doubt of it. . . . The Indians 
probably received a mere pittance for undoubted rights, previously 
ascertained, about which no agency was necessary nor service 
required, and must not be deprived of the benefit intended them by 
the treaty. 

This is endorsed by the Secretary of War and the state- 
ment is made that a new commission is to be appointed. 

February 16, 1839, the commissioners present a defense, 
the chief point of which was that they had done exactly as 



148 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

the Sioux commissioners did, and the Commissioner of 
Indian Affairs had accepted those reports. 

In reply to the charge of paying money to an attorney 
instead of to the half-breeds themselves, the commissioners 
say that as the half-breeds were not many of them present 
the money had to be paid to somebody and that the parties 
to whom they were paid were respectable. No facts are 
given, however, to prove how many half-breeds were really 
present. So that this excuse has no support in fact. More- 
over, both Mr. Street and Mr. Merrell speak as if all half- 
breeds entitled to money were present. 
The report says further: 

Under ordinary circumstances, we should have thought that, in 
a new and wild country, the claimants were fortunate in being so 
respectably represented. But the commissioner says that they were 
assigners of the cases they represented. We ask, where is the proof 
to sustain this assertion? We have seen none. And here we take 
occasion to assert, in the most unqualified manner, that until after 
the awards were made in favor of the mixed bloods, and the cer- 
tificates delivered, we had no knowledge that speculations had been 
made by attorneys in fact in those claims, and we challenge 
contradiction. 

But, suppose the fact had been known to us; what power had 
we to prevent it? It may be said that we might have cut down the 
sum awarded to the sums paid by the speculators. But all cases, 
without exceptions, as far as we remember, were in the hands of 
attorneys in fact; and the instructions required that all the money 
should be distributed. Besides, if it was necessary to employ attor- 
neys, it was also necessary that they should be paid. 

This is certainly a naive defense and worthy one of the 
brainiest politicians of his time. 

To the charge that they paid in certificates, they answer 
that the money was not there. It does not occur to them 
that they might have given the certificates to the half-breeds 
instead of the attorneys, and had the money sent up at once 
from St. Louis as they were going down there. Of course, 
the commissioners were ready to swear to anything to shield 
themselves. They produced affidavits from men in the west 
to the effect that Dousman and others concerned were lion- 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 1VJ 

est men. Dousman was a partner in the American Fur 
Company. He could find plenty of interested parties to 
swear for him. They also produced statements from men in 
the Indian country stating that the half-breeds concerned 
were voters and intelligent men and could sign away claims 
if they wished. And Simon Cameron obtained letters from 
his secretary, Mr. Featherstonehaugh. and Messrs. Satterlee 
Clark, Jr., and Mr. Boilvin, as to the justice of his awards 
at Prairie du Chien. These men were his partners in this 
business. 

Mr. Boilvin says: "I have received letters from Prairie 
du Chien since I left; they all manifest their satisfaction of 
your proceedings with the exception of Major Boyd and T. 
P. Street, with whom the commissioners had some personal 
difficulties." 

What these difficulties were does not appear from the let- 
ters on either side, nor is there any other reference to them. 

By the way, this letter of Mr. Boilvin's is written in a 
good style and without mistakes in spelling or use of capitals, 
and is dated at Washington city, while one written by him 
to Thomas Street and given in this article verbatim from the 
original is of a different style. Could this letter have been 
written by a better scholar and signed by Mr. Boilvin? 

In answering the question, "Who were the attorneys in 
fact?" the commissioners reply, ''We have no list before us 
at present; but we are under the impression .that they were 
men of the highest standing in the country — the attorney- 
general of Wisconsin (H. S. Baird), a lawyer of eminence 
from Mackinac, another from Philadelphia (Broadhead), a 
person holding a responsible employment under the War 
Department at Ft. Winnebago (Clark), and another at Ft. 
Crawford (Dr. Moore), and as well as we recollect, one or 
two intelligent and respectable merchants." 

The list, however, shows that the attorneys in fact were 
Boilvin, Broadhead, Dousman and Satterlee Clark. Baird's 
name does not appear on the list; and Moore was trustee 
for one case only, that referred to by Mr. Street. 



150 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

Major Hitchcock in defense of his action in not paying 
the money at St. Louis as demanded by the commissioners, 
says in a letter to the Department dated at Washington, 
March 12, 1839, that although he had not the money on 
hand for the purpose on September 11, he sent from another 
fund the money for the half-breed Sioux to St. Peters as 
there might not be another chance to transmit it. The 
Winnebago money had not come and he did not supply it, as 
he thought boats were going so frequently to the Prairie 
that it could be sent at any time. 

He says in his instructions to Mr. Pfister, the special 

disbursing agent at St Peters, September 10, 1838: 

The commissioners have been directed to decide upon the half- 
breed claims under the Sioux treaty, ... it seems important 
that payment should immediately follow the decision; otherwise 
the claimants may disperse. . . . You will therefore place in the 
hands of Lieut. Whitehorn $110,000 in specie, for payment, under 
2d Par. 2d Art. of the treaty with the Sioux of 1837, advising him 
that it is the express directions from this office that no part of this 
money be paid to any proxy, to any person holding a receipt, or 
pretending in any manner to represent a claimant. That the money 
be paid only to a claimant in his own person, and then only on the 
requisition of the commissioners, countersigned by the Indian agent. 

He knew that these conditions had not been observed at 
Prairie du Chien and he refused to pay attorneys or third 
parties. Mr. Cameron in his defense says that he cannot 
see how the money could have been- distributed except 
through attorneys. Major Hitchcock, as distributing agent, 
seems to know how it could be placed through government 
paymasters in the very hands of the claimants. The com- 
missioners do not seem to have had sufficient confidence in 
the regular officers of the Indian division of the War De- 
partment to trust any money to their charge. It would seem 
natural that men whose official duties kept them in the Indian 
country would know more about the half-breeds and to whom 
the money could safely be paid, than commissioners who had 
spent only two months there, and an attorney who lived in 
Pennsylvania. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 151 

While in Washington the winter and spring of '39, Ma- 
jor Hitchcock interested Horace Everett of Vermont in 
the matter. Mr. Everett, in the House of Representatives 
February 19, 1839, offered the following resolutions: 

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to lay before 
this house a statement of the proceedings of the department in the 
execution of the 1st and 2d provisions of the 4th article of the 
treaty of Nov. 1, 1837, with the "Winnebago Indians and copies of all 
correspondence relating thereto, and also a statement of any 
information received relating to any speculations or alleged mis- 
conduct of any person or persons employed in the execution of said 
provisions; and copies of all correspondence relating thereto. 

Amended as follows: 

And that the report made on the subject by the commissioners 
of Indian affairs and decision of secretary therein be referred to a 
committee. 

Mr. Bell was chairman of this committee, and March 1, 
the papers were placed before them. 

It is very natural that these men who had been caught in 
a scandalous transaction should attack their accusers. Mr. 
Street, who was only an Indian Agent, had nothing but his 
reputation as an honest man to back him. He practically 
stood alone at Prairie du Chien, which was little more than 
an American Fur Company trading post. 

When feeling ran highest over the matter in Prairie du 
Chien, Major Hitchcock, in a letter from Washington to Mr. 
Street, dated March 17, 1839, says: 

Your uninvited sentiments and views in relation to the proceed- 
ings of the commissioners has given you a standing in the opinions 
of both (Sec. of War and the Com. of Ind. Affairs). I took care to 
let them know that your first two letters to me — parts of which I 
have furnished — were the results of your individual feelings. 

In your subsequent formal reports, which are on file and in 
course of printing by order of the House, you are severe upon sundry 
people about Prairie du Chien. 

You and myself must sustain the brunt of the war against the 
corruptions at the Prairie, but we have the President, Sec. and Com. 
(of Ind. Affairs at Washington) and I verily believe all of Congress 
to sustain us. We can afford to be assailed. As to the white claim- 
ants, I know nothing and have never said anything; but for the half- 



152 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

breeds, my life upon it, they would get their money from the 
government. 

I wish you to note down everything you learn in relation to the 
proceedings of the commissioners and to inquire for facts whenever 
you have a fair opportunity. 

The commissioners have accused me of sending paper money 
2 or 3 times under eastern exchange. They wish artfully to give out 
the inference that it was depreciated paper, which is false as you 
know. It was Mo. State Bank paper every dollar of it. They also 
accuse me of a wish to retain and use the money when they must 
know that I was so anxious to have the half-breeds of the Sioux 
paid that I sent the money to them without orders, assuming a great 
responsibility. They also handle very rudely my privately writing 
to you and my not furnishing my letter to Mr. Lowry. My letter to 
Mr. Lowry was public and I have put it on file. It will show the 
utmost consideration for the reputations of the commissioners. 1 
expressly cautioned Mr. Lowry on that point.* 

Congress has not organized the Indian Dept. and has not sus- 
pended the law relieving officers of the army and I have therefore 
written a letter signifying my wish to be relieved. I may have to 
return to St. Louis for a few months and will then try to go up to 
the Prairie. 

He did return to St. Louis in the summer of 1839 as a 
letter dated St. Louis, June 11, 1839, shows: 

I think I may assure you it will be impossible for your enemies 
to touch you. They have cut their own throats, especially Dousman. 
I believe I showed you his letter to me refusing information. I sent 
it to the Sec. of War, who cannot fail to understand the drift of the 
business. We are both of us to be abused by the defeated party, 
but the cause of truth and justice must prevail and we shall be 
sustained. 

I enclose also a copy (on no account to be used until I see 
occasion) of a letter to Mr. Buchanan. I have the information prin- 
cipally from Bailly in writing and I have printed the letter for the 
mere convenience of sending a few copies to friends, holding the 
balance in reserve for the members of Congress the next session, 
in case I shall think proper. . . . 

I was told that Marshy intended denying what he said to you. 
If it comes to a mere point of veracity between you and him or you 
and any one at the Prairie, you must triumph. They said things 
unguardedly and have forgotten what they said or have been induced 
to deny it by those interested, if not interested themselves. Keep 
this view in mind and be cool in any answer you may make. 



"Mr. Lowry proved a turn-coat, as shown by later letters. 
tFormerly sub-agent at Prairie du Cbien. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 153 

When aroused by an act of injustice, Mr. Street's indig- 
nation glowed at white heat, and he was liable to do rash and 
impolitic acts. Hence Major Hitchcock's injunction to keep 
cool. 

What Marsh intended denying as stated in this letter, 
was explained in a letter from Agent Street to the Missouri 
Republican, July 25, 1839: 

I presumed he [Dousman] had engaged with Mr. Broadhead in 
purchasing half-breed claims, as B. in a soliloquy had spoken of 
"160,000 divided by four makes $15,000 — no bad business." 

Although Mr. Marsh certifies he was too sick to be at Taintor's 
tavern during the stay of the commissioners at Prairie du Chien 
and that, in our social conversation he had not mentioned Mr. B.'s 
soliloquy, no one will for a moment believe that I manufactured the 
statement. I will not be positive, but I think Mr. M. told it as 
coming from some person boarding with Taintor at the time. 

I appeal to the returns of the Com'rs to sustain the opinion I 
have put forth in relation to the half-breed claims, and to the evi- 
dence I have in my correspondence adduced, and which is not 
denied. 

Apropos of Mr. Dousman's connection with this affair, 
Gen. H. H. Sibley, formerly an agent for the American Fur 
Company, says in his memoirs of Hercules L. Dousman, in 
the Minnesota Hist. Coll. Vol. Ill, p. 197, that the Hon. 
Simon Cameron when acting as Commissioner to settle the 
debts of the Winnebagoes received material aid from Mr. 
Dousman in settling these accounts. He also quotes a eulogy 
on Mr. Dousman which Senator Cameron delivered upon the 
floor of the Senate. 

Major Hitchcock also says in the letter of June 11, "Gen. 
Brooke is not pleased with your inference that Dousman had 
been talking with him about the money, but you only gave 
opinions and could not have intended disrespect." 

It appears from a letter to Thos. Street from J. M. Street 
that he thought Gen. Brooke was to blame for sending the 
money intended for the half-breeds back to St. Louis. It 
will be remembered that he speaks of Gen. Brooke coming 
into the office of McKissack with Dousman, when the money 
was delivered to the quartermaster. 



154 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

Agent Street says: 

As to Gen. Brooke I have every respect for him as a brave sol- 
dier and feel pained that he happened to be mentioned in such com- 
pany. Yet in giving the details of fact, as to the disposition of the 
$100,000 — it became necessary to screen a subordinate officer into 
whose hands I paid the money, from censure in taking the money to 
St. Louis which had been ordered to be disbursed at Prairie dti 
Chien, and was turned over to him, to be disbursed (under Major 
Hitchcock's instructions to Doc. Reynolds) which instructions I 
handed with the money. I certainly did not intend any disrespect to 
Gen. Brooke, but detailed the facts as he and Mr. McKissack will 
remember they occurred. In giving my supposition on the facts, if 
I erred I regret it as to Gen. Brooke. Though if he ever makes oath 
that he was not operated upon by Mr. D. in the order to Mr. Mc. 
from what cause did he give that order? The Sec. of War ordered 
the money to be disbursed to half-breeds and agents at Prairie du 
Chien. Major H. sent it for that purpose to P. du C. and I paid it as 
money belonging to the Ind. Dept. to the Quarter Master and the 
Military Commander directed the Qr. Master to take the money 
back to St. Louis. And Gen. B. and Mr. D. coming together induced 
my conclusion. Now was not this a natural conclusion when Mr. D. 
had just been with.me endeavoring to induce me to send the money 
to St. Louis, which I refused. And how did Gen. B. know I had 
brought the $100,000 and that the money, the $100,000, I was paying 
to Mr. Mc? I had only arrived a few hours before, and went to 
Mr. Mc.'s office and for the first time disclosed the fact to him a few 
minutes before; gave him Maj. H.'s letter and proceeded to pay 
over the money. How then could Gen. B. know what money it was, 
and why send it back to St. Louis if not induced to do so by some 
information from Mr. D.? 

The fight did not stop with the adjournment of Congress, 
as shown by the following letter from Thos. Street to his 
father, August 5, 1839. 

Dear Father: 

Since my last letter to you I have heard some matters which are 
important to you, particularly in the controversy between Dousman, 
Lockwood & Co., and yourself. 

Gov. Horner (John A. Horner, late Sec. of the Ter. of Wis.) came 
here a few days since and in a conversation with me informed me 
that Maj. Hitchcock had written a letter to a friend at Green Bay 
last spring, requesting that friend to collect evidences of fraud in 
the settlement of the claims by the Comm'rs, Cameron and Murray, 
and that this person had employed Horner to take 5 or 6 affidavits 
wh. were sent to Maj. Hitchcock some time since. The affidavits 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 155 

were from half-breeds at Green Bay and go to charge Boilvin, Broad- 
head, and the Com. with improper acts, implicating also H. L. Dous- 
man in a positive manner as a speculator. 

One was the affidavit of Jos. Pauquette, a relation of the late 
Pierre Pauquette; the substance was as follows: Boilvin came and 
told him that he had better sell to Broadhead, that the money would 
not be here for a long time, that the half-breeds would all be classi- 
fied and the probability was that he would get but little unless he 
sold, and he finally agreed to take one-fourth, which was about 
$1,000 or $1,500 for [in place of] about $4,000 or $4,500. He (Pau- 
quette) was then sent to Dousman, who paid him the money, prin- 
cipally, if not entirely, in his Wisconsin Bank notes. He then made 
a power of attorney authorizing Broadhead to receive the money 
which should be awarded to him and went before Messrs. Cameron 
and Murray in company with Broadhead. The power of att. was 
exhibited, the matter talked over and Pauquette was informed that 
all was right by the Com'rs themselves. The other affidavits state 
something near the same thing though as I am informed stronger 
matters. . . . 

Dousman, Lockwood and all hands are waiting for the Comm. 
(Mr. Fleming) who has not yet arrived; they are now too busy to 
say anything further on the claim subject or against you. 

As stated in the report of the Secretary of War in Jan- 
uary, 1839, a. new commissioner was appointed to look over 
the half-breed claims. This was Mr. Fleming, who had acted 
as Commissioner in the Sac and Fox adjustment the year 
before. There had been no complaint then; with Agent 
Street and George Davenport at Rock Island he had been 
guarded from the kind of temptation that would assail him 
at Prairie du Chien. Mr. Street in a letter to his son, Sep- 
tember 6, 1839, says: 

Fleming is a correct and clean man and will do what he thinks 
right. 

And in another place: 

Dousman is a wily dog and will deceive Fleming if he is not 
guarded. I suspect Maj. Hitchcock is at Ft. Winnebago on a court 
martial and will be at Prairie du Chien (when the Com. arrives). 
He is a sterling man and can be depended upon. 

Now from what source could Dousman obtain the remark as to 
my expecting the Com. appointment? I never did; nor could any- 
thing I said be so construed. 

Mr. Street was wrong in his suspicion that Major Hitch- 
cock would be at Prairie du Chien when Mr. Fleming was 



156 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

there. Whether Major Hitchcock was at Ft. Winnebago in 

September, and did not stop at Prairie du Chien on his way 

down I have no means of knowing, but the commission closed 

this sitting October 14, and October 17, Major Hitchcock 

writes from Washington to Mr. Street: 

My Dear General' 

I had a long conversation today with Mr. Crawford and took 
occasion to speak of the efforts made by your enemies to injure you. 
Being myself acquainted with some of the particulars, I went into 
detail and had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Crawford express his 
entire satisfaction. I told him the circumstances relative to the 
$100 referred to by Lockwood, for I very well remember the matter, 
as General, then Colonel, Taylor explained it to me four or five 
years ago. I also explained the particulars regarding the Sac and 
Fox half-breed money and told him the bond was in his own office, 
which could speak for itself. I am confident you have no occasion 
to give yourself a moment's concern. It is doubtless unpleasant to 
have the papers bandying one's name about, but I have heard num- 
berless people speak of the Winnebago affair and of the part you 
took in it, and at the same time sneer at the efforts made to injure 
you, and have never heard a single individual express a doubt of 
your integrity. The only wonder expressed in regard to the busi- 
ness was that you had the courage to brave a parcel of sharpers 
who "as a matter of course" would attack you. 

The following account of the new Commissioner's pro- 
ceedings is interesting, as showing how futile "investigations" 
were; not very different from some of them now: 

Peaikie du Ceien, Oct. 28, 1839. 
Dear Father: 

The commissioner Mr. Fleming closed his business on the 14th 
inst. and left that evening for Washington or home. He re-examined 
the half-breed claims, made his award, and had the money paid to 
each person entitled to receive it. Broadhead's brother received the 
amounts paid last year with an average advance of 15 per cent. In 
the claim* cases he received and filed such as were presented 
together with the evidence and determined not to decide upon them 
here, but took them with him for the purpose (as I suppose) of 
submitting them to the Com'rs of Ind. Affairs before he makes his 
decision. This I do not know, as I do not think he made known his 
intention with regard to them. Having now stated briefly the heads 
of the matter I proceed to particulars. 

The most of the claimants in both cases arrived here early in 
July and waited anxiously for Mr. Fleming until nearly the last of 



Traders' claims. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 157 

that month, when a notice was received and posted up, stating that 
he would be here and ready to commence business on the 6th of 
Aug. He did not, however, arrive until about the middle or last 
of that month. As soon as he came he commenced receiving claims 
in the half-breed cases and continued that matter until it was 
finished, or the awards were made. It then became necessary to 
wait a few days for the Indians to come in, and that interval was 
employed in receiving debt claims, and receiving proof, etc. On the 
16th of Sept. the Indians assembled at the office of the Comr. and 
the half-breed business was resumed by submitting the names of 
each half and qt.-breed on the list to the Indians separately. They 
agreed to all on the list except 3 or 4 who they declared were not 
their relations, and not entitled to receive money. These cases 
were Kuthoko, Caroline Harney, her daughter, Mary Gunn and one 
other that I do not now recollect. The Com., however, in making 
his award afterwards included these persons. I presume he had 
proof enough to satisfy his mind, notwithstanding the desire of the 
Indians. It may be well here to notice an incident which occurred 
this day (Sept. 16) in the council. So soon as the Com. explained 
to the Indians the object for which he had assembled them, one of 
the chiefs arose and made a speech, the substance of which was 
that Boilvin was appointed by them last year to look after their 
interests. They wished him to do so this year, and they desired the 
Com. to give them a list of the names of all the half and qt.-breeds 
that they might get Boilvin to look over and read it to them, and 
they would assemble again tomorrow and settle the business. The 
Com. replied that if they demanded such list he felt bound to give 
it to them and they might get Boilvin or any other gentleman to 
read it to them, but strongly urged upon them the propriety of acting 
on their own judgment, and to beware of the influence of each and 
every person in settling the matter. After a few minutes of reflec- 
tion they waived the demand and proceeded to pass upon the names 
as read by the Com. The Comr. took no notice at that time of the 
request that Boilvin should act. 

From the 16th of Sept. to the 28th was taken up in classifying 
and arranging the amount due to each person. During this time 
there was much maneuvering. I have seldom seen a time of more 
excitement according to the number of persons here. Broadhead's 
brother John H. was using every means to get [back] the money 
paid out by his brother; sometimes endeavoring to intimidate the 
claimants by threats of legal process; then coaxing, and all the time 
in perfect fever. Boilvin was busy, Lockwood was hanging to the 
skirts of every claimant that passed his door. Several others were 
assisting. The general outcry among this party was "Pay Broad- 
head or he will make you suffer severely for it." At this time was 
it that Mr. Fleming issued a notice requiring every claimant who 



158 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

had received an award last year to produce and give up the certifi- 
cate issued in his or her case by the Com. Cameron and Murray, or 
failing to do so no money would or could be paid to them. Then 
commenced the triumph of Broadhead and the party; the whole 
matter was in their own hands, they could laugh securely at the 
puny efforts of the claimants and the counselors. The claimants, 
however, did not yield without some struggling. The most of the 
claimants from Green Bay assembled, directed their lawyer to draw 
up a protest against the notice and requisition of the Comrs. and 
set forth therein the fraudulent manner in which their claims were 
obtained. This paper they signed after it had been fully explained 
to them, but 2 or 3 days after being intimidated by Broadhead and 
others, and the arrival of the deputy marshal of the territory (whom 
Broadhead had sent a special messenger for to Mineral Point) and 
the pending of the Comrs. notice the combination of circumstances 
was too powerful — they gave up the unequal contest, desired their 
lawyer to withhold the protest and most of them had their names 
erased, and finally all settled with Broadhead on the terms stated 
in the first part of this letter. For the Green Bay portion see paper 
herewith marked "A" — drawn up by John S. Horner. For the por- 
tion of half-breeds near Rock River and elsewhere see paper "B" 
drawn up by John Catlin, which met the same fate ultimately. 

We now come to the 28th Sept. (Saturday). This day the pay- 
ment of the half and qt.-breeds commenced. It was made in the 
office of the Am. Fur Co. by Mr. Haverty — Dis. Agt., in presence of 
the Comr., Gen. Brooke, Mr. Lowry and some others whom I do not 
know. The room next the office was filled with persons of the 
propei- kind, to-wit, Boilvin, Clark,* Broadhead and Co. Broadhead 
received his money as before stated; the persons who were of what 
we call the other party or opposed to the cheats and frauds of 
Broadhead contented ourselves perforce in walking about the store 
room and casting a wistful look at some fellow as he passed out 
with a box or bag of dollars in his arms. The payment was not 
finished this day, but postponed to Monday, Sept. 30. That day 
there appeared the following notice on the counter of the store: 
"Gentlemen are requested not to come inside the counter." We had 
therefore to remain outside still more remote from the scene of 
action. Some fellows passed in, however, who I suppose considered 
themselves loafers, not gentlemen. Same arrangement in inner and 
outer rooms as first day. Same persons present. This day Dr. 
Moore ree'd the award of Mary Ann Mitchell, $1,000, by giving 
security — he had previously filed his indentures of apprenticeship. 

Oct. 1. Payment continued this day and finally closed. This 
morning they adjourned to the Com. office to finish. A great dis- 
pute arose between Broadhead and Boilvin. Boilvin had taken Mad. 



» Satterlee Clarko, Jr. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 159 

Myotte's certificate last year, had sold it to Broadhead, received 
the money, used it, and now wanted Mad. Myotte to come forward 
and claim it herself and not let Broadhead have it. So soon as she 
would have obtained it, Boilvin intended to go to her and take it, 
and then realize a double portion. Broadhead kicked up at this; 
here was rogue to rogue opposed and a hard time they had of it. 
But Broadhead was too hard for Boilvin. The Com. called Boilvin 
up and under oath examined him as to his claims upon the money 
and asked him whether Mad. Myotte owed him; this took him aback, 
and he was unprepared and stammered out some almost unintelli- 
gible words, — in fact, he stood convicted of falsehood and knew not 
what to do or say. Those few moments while under examination 
must have been exquisitely painful to him. The matter was finally 
settled by the commissioners determining to carry the money to 
Washington and end the dispute there. 

From this time forward a change came over Boilvin's spirit. 
Dousman and he quarreled. D. told B. he was a liar. B. retorted 
by calling D. a liar. They bartered such like epithets for a short 
time, but the affair "came off" bloodless and I presume neither much 
woisted in character. It reminded me of a somewhat vulgar saying 
about a pot and kettle. A few days after this (the Comr. had now 
commenced examining debts) an affidavit subscribed by old Menard, 
one of the persons who had an award last year, was filed with the 
Com. The substance of which was that Boilvin had cheated him out 
of nearly if not quite half his award; that Mr. B. told him the draft 
was only so much — being only half the real amount, and that B. 
took M. to Lockwood's and there sold L. the draft, and L. gave M. 
a note for the one-half. Both L. and B. told M. that the amount of 
the draft was only one-half what in reality it was. I regret my 
inability to send you a certified copy of this affidavit now, but will 
in a few days, as I consider it important. . . . This affidavit 
remained a few days in the Com. hands; on the 10th of Oct., how- 
ever, Boilvin, John Kinzie and others of that same class were seen 
to talk earnestly with Menard, shortly after which M. and Boilvin 
came to the Com. and asked to withdraw the affidavit. Menard 
stated that he was unwilling to prosecute his claim further and 
wished to withdraw his affidavit and stick to the award of last year. 
The Com. consented, handed him his affidavit and Menard left the 
house, frightened almost out of his senses. Boilvin had told him 
that the charges contained in the affidavit were such as would sub- 
ject him (Menard) to a suit for defamation of character and heavy 
damages, the old man was pale with fright. The die was cast, how- 
ever, the party had determined to sacrifice Boilvin, too much fraud 
had been developed. A scape-goat was necessary, and by common 
consent they pitched upon Boilvin. A few days after the quarrel 
with Dousman, Antoine Grignon (the company's interpreter) served 
out a writ of attachment against Boilvin for $1,690, being a part of 



160 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

the $2,000 given to Grignon under the treaty of Nov. 1, 1837, and 
the same matter about which the quarrel arose between B. and 
Dousman. The sheriff went to Taintor's and took all Boilvin's 
trunks and even his wife's trunks of clothing (Mrs. B. was here all 
summer). After overhauling them the sheriff gave them back to his 
wife, as they were found to contain no money or property value. 
This was a finisher. Boilvin at last found he was to be the victim 
and gave up the contest. Next day he took a steamboat to St. Louis 
in company with his wife, and I now take leave of him. Possibly 
he is now convinced that honesty is the best policy and that there 
is such a thing as retributive justice. . . . 

The Com. continued several days longer to receive claims and 
proofs, several new ones were introduced. Several of the claimants 
of last year still refused to put in their claims and finally refused; 
to-wit, R. Stuart (claim of old Am. Fur Co.), Dousman (for present 
company), Rolette, the Brisboise, Pauquette's estate (Dousman was 
executor). Lockwood and some others being the persons who 
received the highest sum last year, in fact about 2-3 the whole 
amount set aside by the treaty. These claimants who constantly 
refused to have their claims re-examined were constantly working 
with the Indians. Everything was tried, no stone left unturned, to 
prevent the Com. from proceeding in his examination, and at length 
they succeeded, the spell worked and the Com. abruptly closed on 
Oct. 14. And the commissioner himself left on a steamboat accom- 
panied by Stuart, Kinzie 'Co. At Galena he took the stage and 
returns to N. York by the Lakes. 

Some days before the close of the debt claims examination, the 
Indian chiefs assembled at the Com.'s office and One-Eyed Decorah 
rose and said that the nation was glad that Mr. F. had come on and 
examined the half-breed claims, that their half-breeds were pleased 
with his awards and felt proud, that he had done what was right and 
they were glad. "But," said he, "we do not wish you to examine 
the debt claims. 2 Com'rs were sent here last year and examined 
our traders' claims, they also did right. We want our traders paid, 
and we do not wish you to 'tear to pieces' what they did last year 
in the traders' claims." 

He then handed the Comr. a paper tied together with blue ribbon 
and a string of wampum, paying, "Here is a paper that contains our 
thoughts; read it and take it on with you to our Great Father; this 
is all I have to say." 

The paper was then read and proved to be a sort of protest 
against the re-examination of the traders' claims and a full and 
complete ratification of those acts of Cameron and Murray. It was 
signed or purported to be signed by the chiefs in the presence of 
Mr. Lowry and Nicholas Boilvin. 

Several persons present and particularly the new claimants were 
extremely anxious to have the claims re-examined and asked Mr. F. 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. 161 

to allow them to propound questions to the chiefs in order to ascer- 
tain by whom they had been advised to present such a paper; which 
was allowed. Two or three questions were asked which were 
answered evasively by the chiefs. Wacon Decorri then got up to 
speak, repeating pretty much what had been said before, though he 
went on and was about to let the cat out of the bag. This I saw 
and was highly delighted. 

Just at this moment, however, Boilvin became uneasy and moved 
across the room and whispered to an interpreter to tell Wacon to 
stop and as they had now finished their business to go away immedi- 
ately or leave the room. 

Accordingly, Wacon stopped short, saying, "This is all I have 
to say," and in a few minutes away went the Indians. The inter- 
preter referred to is A. Grignon and I got the statement of what 
Boilvin whispered from him. It was somewhat surprising to me 
that Mr. F. would permit such a thing, if he saw it, and I do think 
he must have seen it. Mr. Lowry did, I am certain. 

Two or three days before Mr. F. closed he was asked by Col. 
Stambaugh, counsel for some of the claimants, to let him see a 
protest which Col. S. had heard was on file in the office. After some 
time Mr. F. consented; the paper was produced and appeared to be 
a lengthy protest signed by Stuart, Dousman, Lockwood and several 
others against the re-examination of the traders' claims. 

It was addressed to Mr. F. to be laid before the Sec. of War and 
was, I am told, somewhat abusive of that officer, for the course he 
had taken in appointing a new Com. and setting aside the report of 
last year. Stambaugh tried to get a copy, but could not. A com- 
mittee was appointed to wait on the Com. and ask a copy. The 
committee addressed him a note, but he refused in a written reply. 
The reasons he gave I do not now recollect, but I do not think they 
were at all satisfactory. It seems the protest had lain in his hands 
since the middle of August or thereabout and would never have been 
shown had not Stambaugh called for it. 

It is my opinion that both Mr. F. as Com. and Mr. Lowry as sub- 
agent were too much influenced by the power and authority of the 
Am. Fur Co., its agents and hangers-on. And also it seemed to me 
that the Com. was anxious to save Broadhead and if possible the 
commissioners of last year. 

This he could not in fact do; because in the re-examination of 
the half-breed matter he must have seen the fraud, and his award 
has been different in almost every case from that of last year. Now 
one or the other is wrong. Either the old Com'rs acted improperly 
or Mr. F. ; they can't both be right. I, as well as the claimants them- 
selves, choose to think that Cameron and Murray were wrong. 
There was much intimacy between Mr. F. and several of ihe per- 
sons concerned in the Co., but I hope and believe Mr. F. is still a 



162 ANNALS OF IOWA. 

correct and honest man. I took no sides for him or against him. 
When I spoke of him it was always in high terms from my slight 
acquaintance. Mr. F. continued to speak highly of you and seems 
to have a regard for you. What impression is made on his mind, 
however, by the many stories he must have heard, I know not. He 
desired me to present his best regards to you when I wrote and 
wished much that you had been here during his session. 

Of Mr. Lowry I am compelled to judge harshly. I had supposed 
he would make an independent, active, and energetic sub-agent. 
Activity he does not lack, but he is too subservient to the A. P. Co. 
He has, in my opinion, scarcely any opinion of his own, but runs 
to Dousman for his. When Boilvin came on, he took him by the 
hand, had him to assist him, sent him on expresses for Ind. in the 
country and gave him consequence and countenance, though there 
was no earthly reason for it, and he knew well Boilvin's character 
and actions. Other persons of far less exceptionable character 
might have been found who would have answered as well if not 
better. Had Boilvin been a stranger it would have been different. 
But Mr. Lowry said that the company and Broadhead still counte- 
nanced Boilvin, and he thought it was therefore to his interest to 
do so. He was too short-sighted to see that there would be a blow 
up in the end, that rogues would quarrel. It is disagreeable to 
animadvert thus severely on Mr. L., but I am certain there is reason 
for it, and he has not gained much credit among the lookers on by 
his course. I have heard much said of his want of firmness. The 
opinion entertained by the most disinterested of the persons here 
this summer is better expressed in the Galena paper which I send 
herewith. The writer I do not know, but that he states facts I do 
know. I send you also a copy of a letter from Lowry to Broadhead; 
on this I leave you to comment. I am still friendly to Mr. L., nor 
has any difference occurred between us. I have occasionally spoken 
of some of his acts to himself in a disapproving manner, he endeav- 
ored to explain and the matter passed. 

Col. Stambaugh (of St. Peters) as agent for 10 or 12 claimants 
has written a lengthy protest against the confirmation of the report 
of Cameron and Murray in the debt cases. He read it to me. It is 
well written and accompanied by a good deal of evidence. I regret 
that you could not see it, but its great length prevented me from 
getting a copy. Col. S. expresses much friendship for you; how true 
his professions are I know not. but he seems sincere. I desired him 
to advise you of and assist if he could in case anything was doing 
against you. He will be in Washington all winter and told me he 
would attend to your interests as far as he could. 

I think it is the intention of Broadhead, Cameron, and Murray, 
and all that party to do all they can this winter. In expectation of 
this I have spoken to a friend or two here to ask the half and 



SIMON CAMERON INDIAN COMMISSION. L63 

qt.-breed claimants to give an expression of opinion for you. I was 
present when the two papers were signed. The Green Bay half- 
breeds signed the one in which Col. S.'s name is interlined. They 
wished it so. The others signed another of the same kind lea\ 
out Stambaugh. This they did with pleasure. They spoke highly 
of you and with feelings of gratitude for your disinterested course; 
see here Stephen Mack's separate letter— he is a good man. The 
half-breeds are your friends and what is more no one can now 
change them, they are convinced by too powerful proofs. The 
money they received this summer in silver they looked upon as 
having been obtained through you and Maj. H. and they will so 
consider it no matter who says to the contrary, nor will they be 
made to say anything contrary if they only understand it. . . 

I send two affidavits about Lockwood which show how bare-faced 
a liar, he is— how unprincipled a villain. I think, too, that the state- 
ments in Horner's protest show that H. L. Dousman knew more 
about the speculations than he was willing to admit. If I under- 
stand the matter right he seems to disregard truth entirely in his 
publication which I send you. . . . It is time to close this long 
and desultory letter. I have endeavored to give you a statement ot 
what took place as well as I could from memo's which I kept and 
without much regard to perspicuity; however, if you have time, it 
will serve to give you some idea of the matter and may be 
useful. . . . 

Yr. Sincerely Aff. Son, 

T. P. Street. 

This closes the Simon Cameron Commission case, so far 
as I have documents bearing upon it. The papers mentioned 
by Thos. Street in his letter are not now in possession of the 
family. I have let the letters tell the story from the point 
of view of my grandfather and his friends, not so much to 
vindicate him in this particular proceeding — for his connec- 
tion with it was but slight compared with the storm of abuse 
he aroused at the time — as to show the readers of American 
history to-day how poorly the Indians have been protected 
by commissioners appointed by this government. 



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